Gaza, Palestine – Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced on Tuesday that a special military operation inside Gaza City resulted in the arrest of a senior Hamas commander. The operation was carried out with the participation of a local militia supported by Tel Aviv and with direct air support. In his official statement, Katz declined to reveal the identity of the arrested commander or specify the field unit that carried out the operation. However, he emphasized that Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip continue around the clock. He explained that the Israeli government is pursuing a strategy based on “preemptively pursuing Hamas operatives and uncovering and dismantling their infrastructure,” rather than waiting for any potential threats.
Separate raids and targeting of field commanders
In a separate development, the Israeli military announced it had carried out a precision airstrike targeting the Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City.
The military claimed the strike killed Imad Muhammad Rushdi Siraj, whom it described as “the commander of Hamas’s supply and maintenance unit in the city.” The strike also targeted another military operative whose identity has not yet been confirmed. Israeli military sources claimed that the two men played a pivotal role in securing and delivering weapons and various combat equipment. They also alleged that the men were planning attacks against Israeli forces stationed in the area and attempting to rebuild Hamas’s military infrastructure.
Lack of official comment and continued tension
These bloody and successive developments come amid an atmosphere of extreme tension and ongoing escalation in the Gaza Strip. Consequently, Israeli forces continue to pursue organizational and leadership figures. Meanwhile, Hamas has yet to issue any official statement confirming or denying the Israeli claims. These claims concern the fate of the detained leader or the individuals targeted in the airstrikes.
