The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Monday that it struck five terrorists in northern Gaza over the weekend, killing at least one individual. The military stated the operation was prompted by the operatives' attempt to restore underground terrorist infrastructure west of the "Yellow Line," a demarcation within the Gaza Strip.
The IDF identified the deceased as Hudhayfah Hussein Abdullah al-Hawajri, described as a Nukhba terrorist within Hamas’s East Jabalia Battalion. The military indicated that the other four operatives were also hit in the strike. "Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance," the IDF said in a statement.
In separate incidents the previous week, the IDF reported killing Muhammad Najib Ashour, identified as a Nukhba Force platoon commander, and Tamer Saeed Abu Nakhal, a cell commander in Hamas’s military wing. The military stated these individuals were targeted for their involvement in advancing attacks against Israeli soldiers.
The IDF currently controls approximately 60% of Gaza’s territory, east of the Yellow Line.