January 02, 2024: IDF: The 401st Brigade, the Shaldag Unit and the Yahalom Combat Engineering Unit secured control of Hamas’ intelligence and control center in Gaza City

The 401st Brigade conducted a targeted raid on the central building of the Eastern Military Post in Gaza City. The Eastern Military Post is a strategic stronghold of Hamas in Gaza City, in which there were operational command and control rooms. This terrorist stronghold, which includes 37 buildings, is located in the heart of Gaza’s civilian population, near hospitals, schools, and civilian homes.

Additionally, the forces discovered an underground Hamas control bunker, from which the terrorist organization commanders managed the war in the Gaza Strip. The underground compound was 20 meters deep and included large operational rooms and hideouts for the Hamas’ leaders. During the scans conducted in the area, the forces discovered many weapons and communication devices.

In the Eastern Military Post, the 401st Brigade’s Shaked Battalion discovered 5 central tunnel shafts dozens of meters deep. These shafts were interconnected and created a wide tunnel route and entrance to the underground control center compound. At one tunnel shaft, the Shaldag Unit forces conducted close-quarter combat underground, ultimately eliminating all enemy forces fighting. The 601st Battalion and the Yahalom Engineering Forces destroyed the entire tunnel route.

During operations of the 52nd Battalion in the Hamas Eastern Military Post, the forces identified an incriminated building and conducted a targeted raid. During the targeted raid, the forces engaged the enemy, during which terrorists fired at them from the upper floors. The forces returned fire while evacuating the wounded soldiers. The combat expanded to other buildings in the Eastern Military Post compound. The forces eliminated the terrorist squad in close-quarter combat.
In this operation, IDF soldiers Captain Yaron Eliezer Chitiz, Staff Sergeant Efraim Tachman, and Staff Sergeant Itay Buton, may their memory be a blessing, were killed in action.

We would like to emphasize that the visuals attached are not of the operation in which the soldiers were killed.

Video of the Shaldag Unit operating in the Hamas Eastern Military Post: https://bit.ly/3S2tmiv

Video of Hamas’ underground control bunker: https://bit.ly/47iL9X5

Infographic of the tunnel shafts located in the Hamas Eastern Military Post: https://bit.ly/41HXZwN

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