On Tuesday afternoon, Sgt. First Class Tal Lahat, 21, of the Maglan commando unit, was killed by a sniper in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City, according to the IDF. The incident occurred during a IDF operation targeting Hamas infrastructure within the UNRWA Headquarters.
Over the past week, IDF Commando Brigade troops, operating under the 99th Division, raided a former UNRWA compound in Gaza City. The IDF reported finding extensive terror infrastructure, including war rooms used for surveillance, parts for UAV assembly, tactical drones, rockets, machine guns, mortars, explosives, and grenades. The UNRWA headquarters had not been in use for several months, and earlier this year, the IDF discovered a major Hamas tunnel network beneath it.
🇵🇸 #Palestine – 🇮🇱 #Israel: The IDF raided the UNRWA’s headquarters in Gaza City this week, claiming the complex was being used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Residents of the city stated the fighting during the operation was some of the heaviest seen since the… pic.twitter.com/PCTORbIFqV
— Popular Front (@PopularFront_) July 11, 2024
During the raid, the IDF also eliminated key Hamas figures, including Hassan Abu Kuik, Head of Operational Security in Hamas’ Internal Security Forces, and Naser Mehanna, a team commander in Hamas’ military intelligence. These individuals were involved in numerous terror attacks against Israel.
The IDF’s ongoing operations in Gaza City have included opening evacuation routes for civilians and engaging in combat with Hamas operatives holed up in strategic locations. On Wednesday, the IDF dropped leaflets urging Gaza City residents to evacuate to safer areas in central Gaza.
In addition to the discoveries at the UNRWA compound, IDF troops found a subterranean bomb-making lab and additional weapons in a nearby university building.
Two Israeli reservists from the Alexandroni Brigade were seriously wounded on Wednesday by an explosive device during fighting in Gaza City. The IDF continues to carry out operations across the city, targeting Hamas operatives and infrastructure.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reported to the Knesset that 60% of Hamas’ terror operatives have been killed, with most of the group’s 24 battalions eliminated after nine months of war in the Gaza Strip.
Expanded Coverage:
