Israel Says Hamas Security Chief Captured in Gaza Raid

Israel Says Hamas Security Chief Captured in Gaza Raid

Israeli operation in Gaza City leaves four Palestinians dead, medics say

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli special forces captured the head of Hamas's internal security service during a ground operation in Gaza City. Israeli military and Shin Bet officials said the operation took place on Tuesday and that the detained official was taken to Israel for questioning.

Senior Hamas official captured

According to Israel, the captured official was involved in efforts to restore Hamas's governing capabilities in Gaza and in activities connected to the organisation's military and security infrastructure. Netanyahu did not publicly identify the man.

The Israeli military and Shin Bet said special forces entered a building in the Gaza City area and arrested the Hamas security chief. Israel said the operation was carried out by Shin Bet special forces and that the man was subsequently taken to Israel for questioning.

Four Palestinians reportedly killed

Palestinian medical officials said Israeli air strikes carried out during the operation killed at least four Palestinians, including two children and a woman. The incident occurred in a densely populated part of Gaza City.

Hamas condemned the raid and described the Israeli operation and strikes as a serious violation of the ceasefire. Palestinian officials said several other people were wounded during the attacks.

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Heavy bombardment reported in Gaza City

Residents in the Katiba area of western Gaza City reported heavy Israeli bombardment on Tuesday morning. Witnesses described vehicles being destroyed and said several strikes occurred within a short period.

Witness accounts reported intense gunfire and explosions in the area. Palestinian officials said Israeli special forces and Palestinian armed groups opposed to Hamas were involved in the ground operation, although accounts differed over the exact forces present.

Israel says operation targeted Hamas leadership

Israeli officials said the captured security chief was a senior Hamas figure and accused him of helping conceal and transport Israeli hostages, shelter senior Hamas figures and rebuild the organisation's capabilities.

The Israeli military also reported a separate strike against a commander of Hamas's military wing in the Jabalia area north of Gaza City. The IDF said the commander posed an immediate threat.

Other deaths and injuries reported

In another incident in central Gaza, hospital officials reported that a Palestinian girl was killed by gunfire east of Deir al-Balah. Gaza's Civil Defence service also said one of its first responders was seriously injured in a strike in Jabalia.

The reports come amid continued violence despite references to a ceasefire. Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire through the latest raid and strikes, while Israel says its military operations are aimed at removing threats and targeting Hamas personnel.

Gaza war continues after October 2023 attack

The current Gaza conflict began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed in Israel and 251 people were taken hostage, according to Israeli figures cited in the report.

Since the beginning of the war, more than 73,460 Palestinians have been reported killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry cited in the supplied report. The figures are not independently verified in every case, although UN officials have regarded the ministry's overall casualty reporting as broadly reliable.