Israel raids Nasser's compound in search of “abductees” and conducts arrest campaigns
The Israeli army on Saturday stormed the Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Younis and arrested more than 100 Palestinians from inside, in a major development at the height of the Israeli assault on the city, which has become the last stronghold of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip before expanding operations to the border city of Rafah. About one and a half million Palestinians.
The Israeli military said special forces officers arrested more than 100 “suspects” at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis as they continued searches of the medical center. The army added that soldiers from the Magellan and Egos divisions also killed several Hamas members on the outskirts of the hospital.
A week after Israeli military forces entered the building, they said hostages were being held there and that some of the dead hostages' bodies may still be at the site.
According to Israeli media, extensive searches are underway inside the medical complex.
Controlling the Nasser compound was one of the Israeli army's goals in Khan Yunis, where the ground offensive began several weeks ago.
The Israeli military hopes to reach the Khan Younis responsible for the October 7 attack, namely Yahya al-Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, who broadcast a video clip of him in one of the city's tunnels, and Muhammad al-Deef, the commander-in-chief of the al-Qassam Brigades, in addition to other leaders, who have taken prisoners alive or dead. They believe that they will achieve.
As fighting continued in Khan Yunis, the Israeli military said forces led by the 7th Armored Division raided several compounds and found weapons including explosive devices, grenades and guns.
Forces in the area called in several airstrikes on Hamas forces, killing cell members in close-range combat.
Israel intensified its ground offensive in Khan Yunis, while intensifying its airstrikes in the central Gaza Strip.
A series of Israeli raids on civilian homes in the central Gaza Strip killed at least 40 Palestinians, medical officials said.
In response, Palestinian units continue to target soldiers in infiltration areas and destroy Israeli tanks and vehicles.
Palestinian units fired a missile from Gaza towards Ashkelon, but it was intercepted by the Iron Dome system.
The Israeli military said, “Within 30 minutes, the perpetrator of the missile was located in the al-Furqan area of the northern Gaza Strip, where an air force jet targeted and destroyed him.”
Rocket fire from the Gaza Strip has been greatly reduced.
Israel says it has killed more than 10,000 Hamas fighters, destroyed its military infrastructure in northern and central Gaza, destroyed most of its forces in Khan Yunis and destroyed its missile system.
However, Al-Qassam spokesman, Abu Ubaidah, said on Friday that Palestinian militias and resistance were facing the occupying army and inflicting heavy losses on its ranks. He added: “Our Mujahideen destroy the vehicles and armored vehicles of the occupation and attack its heavily armed soldiers, supported by tanks, aircraft and warships. They ambush them with precision, hunt down their officers in professional shooting operations, and attack their herds of soldiers. From zero distance.” “
He added: “The Mujahideen come out of nowhere to carry out specific operations whenever the enemy thinks they are safe in a burnt area of land.”
Al-Qassam spokesman confirmed, “The Phalange fighters are engaged in heroic battles in all areas that penetrate north, center and south of the Gaza Strip, and are facing the invading forces with various tactics according to field assessments. The nature of weapons and attacks is determined in each operation to inflict some losses in the ranks of the forces.” Occupy”.
He stressed that thousands of Qassam fighters are on constant vigil in various war zones.
The Israeli army has admitted to high casualties among its ranks. On Saturday, the army announced that two soldiers from Magellan's division were seriously wounded during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army's death toll since the start of the war reached 573, and 2,918 wounded.
The Israelis are preparing to attack Rafah after the fighting in Khan Yunis, but mounting pressure on Israel to avoid it appears problematic.
The world fears that an Israeli attack on Rafah, home to nearly one and a half million Palestinians, most of whom have been displaced, would be devastating and result in carnage, bloodshed and far more dangerous consequences for the region.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on Saturday that intense Israeli airstrikes on Rafah were forcing displaced people to flee to the central Gaza Strip.
“Violent fighting is taking place in Khan Yunis and surrounding areas,” UN agency X added to its account. Thousands have fled south to Rafah, already home to 1.4 million people. Intense airstrikes on Rafah have led people to flee Rafah to central Gaza.
“The residents of northern Gaza are on the brink of famine, and no one has shelter,” the agency noted.
UNRWA Commissioner Philippe Lazzarini confirmed that the Gaza Strip has already suffered a major disaster, with residents losing everything, the Arab World News Agency reported.
Lazzarini said changing UNRWA was far-reaching and had “serious and enormous consequences”.
