Israel Defence Forces announces capturing key stronghold in Gaza and killing dozens of terrorists

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has reported that troops from the Nahal Infantry Brigade have captured a Hamas stronghold known as Outpost 17 in western Jabaliya after 10 hours of fighting.

Source: The Times of Israel

Details: The soldiers reportedly battled Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters based at the stronghold, both "above ground and in an underground route in the area."

"Dozens of terror operatives" were killed during the fighting, the IDF says.

The military found many weapons and tunnel shafts, including one located next to a kindergarten that led to an "extensive underground route," and "significant" Hamas battle plans at Outpost 17.

It is also reported that the Air Force has struck hundreds of targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day.

Previously: The IDF reported they had completely encircled the city of Gaza and divided the coastal enclave in two.

Mark Regev, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Senior Advisor for Foreign Affairs and International Communications, said that Israel is not planning a long-term occupation of the Gaza Strip after the war against Hamas, but it will be responsible for security in the region.

Background:

• On 31 October, the IDF reported that its forces had attacked Hamas militants in an extensive network of Gaza tunnels. 
• On 2 November, the IDF said ground forces had clashed with Hamas terrorist cells in the northern part of the Gaza Strip on the night of 1-2 November, killing dozens of militants. 
• Engineering troops of the IDF launched a large-scale operation to destroy Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip, which had already been entered by the IDF troops; over 100 tunnels were destroyed.
• The IDF said they were operating inside the city of Gaza. They are surrounding it from several sides.
• Ghazi Hamad, a senior member of Hamas, welcomed the large-scale attack on Israel on 7 October, during which civilians were killed en masse, and promised that the Palestinian terrorist group would repeat such attacks many times in the future until it destroyed Israel.

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