Posted on 08/30/24
| News Source: Arutz-7
The troops of the 98th Division have completed their divisional operation in the Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah area, after about a month of simultaneous above and underground operational activity.
IDF Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee has updated local residents that they may return home safely, and that the area is again part of the humanitarian area in Gaza.
As part of the operation, the troops eliminated over 250 terrorists and destroyed dozens of terrorist infrastructures.
The Yahalom Unit, along with the 7th Brigade and the Paratroopers Brigade, located and destroyed 6 underground tunnel routes spanning approximately 6 kilometers. In some of the tunnel routes the troops eliminated terrorists and located terrorist hideouts and weapons.
The 7th Brigade operated in the Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah areas, where they located weapons, neutralized dozens of ambushes and destroyed terror compounds.
Troops of the 77th Battalion conducted a raid on a central Hamas outpost in Deir al-Balah, uncovering weapons, a rocket launcher, and intelligence documents. In coordination with the Yahalom Unit, they also identified and destroyed an underground tunnel route that was part of the terrorists' combat network in the area.
The Paratroopers Brigade operated in both the Hamad area of western Khan Yunis and the eastern part of the city. The troops carried out their mission in densely populated areas, including multi-story buildings.
In addition, in a joint operation of the Paratroopers Brigade with the Yahalom Unit, the bodies of six hostages - Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell, and Haim Perry - were rescued and returned to the State of Israel.
The troops of the division are preparing for the continuation of operations in the Gaza Strip.