The force came under heavy fire after being exposed, triggering an intense gun battle.
By United with Israel Staff
Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Tuesday that a senior Hamas terrorist had been captured in Gaza, following hours of uncertainty surrounding an intense operation in Gaza City that reportedly triggered a gun battle and Israeli airstrikes.
The captured terrorist has reportedly been identified as the head of Hamas’s General Security apparatus. He was reportedly wounded during the operation and subsequently brought to Israel.
“A short while ago, a senior Hamas terrorist was arrested, and this is our policy: We don’t wait for threats. We pursue Hamas terrorists, thwart them and destroy their terror infrastructure,” Katz said.
The announcement shed new light on unusual military activity reported earlier Tuesday in western Gaza City.
Palestinian reports claimed that members of a militia cooperating with Israel entered the Al-Katiba area on motorcycles in an operation aimed at capturing a senior Hamas security official.
According to the reports, the force came under heavy fire after being exposed, triggering an intense gun battle. Israeli aircraft then reportedly launched strikes in the area to provide cover for the force.
Palestinian sources reported at least eight people killed during the fighting and strikes.
Initial reports had suggested that Israeli special forces were operating inside Gaza City. Later accounts instead claimed that the ground force consisted of members of an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia.
The IDF subsequently confirmed carrying out strikes in Gaza but did not disclose details about the forces involved on the ground.
“A short while ago, the IDF struck several targets in the Gaza Strip in order to remove threats to security forces,” the military said.
“No injuries to our forces were reported.”
While Katz confirmed the capture of the senior Hamas terrorist, Israeli authorities have not yet released further details about the operation or officially identified the forces that carried it out.
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