As Israel welcomed the new year, more than 20 rockets were launched by Hamas towards southern and central Israel. The Iron Dome missile defense system successfully intercepted the majority of them, preventing casualties. Sirens sounded in various locations, including Ashdod, Sderot, Rehovot, and others, as reported.
No injuries have been recorded so far, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had previously urged residents in central Gaza to evacuate certain areas due to ongoing operations against Hamas. In a humanitarian move, the IDF announced a temporary suspension of military activities in the southern neighborhood of Deir al-Balah from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm for provisions purposes.
The IDF specifically requested residents in 15 identified blocks south of Wadi Gaza to move immediately to shelters in Deir al-Balah. However, movement along the central axis, the Salah Al-Din road, was discouraged due to the ongoing fighting in the Khan Younis area of Gaza. The IDF assured that a bypass axis west of Khan Younis would be open for the humanitarian movement of civilians.
Amid these developments, the IDF located and destroyed three terror tunnel shafts belonging to the Hamas terror organization near Rantisi Hospital and a nearby High School. The tunnels, used by Hamas fighters, were dozens of meters deep and connected by an extensive underground network passing beneath the hospital and leading into Gaza City.
The IDF, led by the 162nd Division’s 401st Brigade in collaboration with Flotilla 13 and the ‘Yahalom’ Unit, uncovered the tunnels. The operation revealed that the shafts are part of a wide underground network spanning several kilometers, with connections leading to strategic points in the heart of Gaza City. The IDF emphasized that Rantisi Hospital was utilized as a terrorist stronghold for the transfer of terrorists and weapons within Gaza, intending to be used against Israelis.
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