The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are “quite close” to destroying Hamas’s “military system” in northern Gaza, the army said, according to a Times of Israel report Tuesday.
“We are quite close to destroying the [Hamas] military system that existed in the northern Gaza Strip,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi told commanders in a video released by the military. “We will complete it, we have some finishing to do, but we are getting close to it nicely.”
Halevi also said the IDF will continue military operations against Hamas “in more and more areas, and going to kill [Hamas] commanders and operatives and destroy the infrastructure.”
Halevi’s remarks come as the IDF continues to dismantle Hamas’s terror infrastructure in Gaza. On Wednesday, Israeli forces ramped up such efforts by launching a “targeted” operation at Gaza City’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa. During the mission, the IDF found evidence of weapons belonging to the terror organization being stored at the medical center.
The Shaldag Unit, along with other elite forces, discovered the weapons in the MRI area.
“During searches inside one of the hospital’s wards, the troops located a room containing unique technological means, combat equipment, and military equipment used by the Hamas terrorist organization,” the IDF said in a statement.
IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus (res.) has said the discovery represents the “tip of the iceberg” regarding Hamas’s illegal use of hospitals for terror purposes.
“Hamas aren’t here because they saw we were coming. This is probably what they were forced to leave behind. Our assessment is that there’s much more,” Conricus added.