An Israel Defense Forces tank on Saturday drove over an explosive charge planted by Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip, the military said. There were no injuries in the incident, which took place during Givati Infantry Brigade operations in the “Yellow Line area,” the IDF said. No further details were provided. In a separate incident, Israeli troops killed a pair of terrorists in Gaza who crossed the Yellow Line in an attempt to sabotage IDF equipment, the army said. The soldiers opened fire and eliminated the threat, said the IDF, which labeled it a “grave” violation of the ceasefire terms. On Thursday, the IDF targeted and killed Hudhaifa Khaled Suleiman Qawari, a company commander in the Khan Yunis Brigade of Hamas’s “military” wing.
Throughout the war, Qawari took part in training the company’s terrorists, in transferring weapons throughout the southern Gaza Strip, and in advancing efforts to rebuild Hamas’s military capabilities, the IDF said. “Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance,” the military added. In a separate post on Friday, the IDF confirmed that two weeks ago, it killed a Hamas company commander in the northern Gaza Strip who had held “numerous” hostages in captivity.
Muhammad Bassam Muhammad Mushtaha served as a company commander in the Shati Battalion in the Hamas’s “military” wing, the army said. He infiltrated Israeli territory on Oct. 7, 2023, and participated in the Hamas-led massacre that left roughly 1,200 people dead in the northwestern Negev. The IDF gave a partial list of the hostages whom Mushtaha held in captivity: Tsachi Idan, Cpl. Noa Marciano, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Ori Megidish, Naama Levy and Matan Angrest. (Read More)
