Israeli defense minister Israel Katz announced the capture of a senior Hamas member following a military operation in Gaza City. The operation involved Israeli special forces and an Israel-backed Palestinian militia, though details about which group carried out the actual capture remained unclear.
The raid was accompanied by Israeli airstrikes that resulted in civilian casualties. According to local medical personnel, at least two children and one woman were killed in strikes during the operation, with a third child killed in a separate incident in central Gaza. Videos from the scene showed damaged vehicles and signs of intense fighting, with gunfire audible in the background.
Palestinian officials provided their account of the operation. A Hamas-run government media spokesman stated that an Israeli special forces unit had entered Gaza City but was discovered during the mission. He indicated the subsequent airstrikes resulted in multiple deaths and injuries among civilians, as well as casualties among the special forces personnel involved. A Palestinian security source characterized the target as a senior official within Hamas’s internal security service.
The Israeli military confirmed conducting strikes against several targets in the territory to neutralize threats to its troops, but stated that none of its personnel sustained injuries in the operation. Israeli officials framed the action as part of their ongoing policy to pursue and eliminate Hamas operatives and infrastructure.
The operation occurred within the context of the broader Gaza conflict, which began following the attack on 7 October 2023. That assault resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 individuals taken hostage. The subsequent military campaign has resulted in significant casualties in Gaza, with the territory’s health ministry reporting more than 73,460 deaths, figures considered reliable by international observers.
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