The combat teams of the 7th, 460th and Paratroopers Brigades under the 98th Division operated in eastern Jabaliya above ground and underground, in an urban, dense area rigged with explosives. The Hamas terrorist organization turned the civilian area into a fortified combat compound, fired towards the troops from sheltered areas and schools, and built an underground terrorist network from within civilian buildings.
Above ground, the troops eliminated hundreds of terrorists in intense combat and close-quarters encounters and destroyed dozens of terrorist infrastructure and combat compounds. The troops located hundreds of weapons, including firearms, explosives, grenades, ammunition and more. In addition, a number of significant weapons production sites were located and destroyed. As part of dismantling the capabilities of the Hamas terrorist organization, the soldiers raided a large number of rocket launching compounds, and destroyed launchers ready for use.
Underground, the troops located, investigated and destroyed with the cooperation of the soldiers of the Yahalom Unit, more than ten kilometers of an underground tunnel network. The soldiers neutralized explosives in the tunnels and located within them weapons and intelligence information about the Hamas terrorist organization. As part of the underground operation, the Commander of the Beit Hanoun Battalion and other terrorists who were with him were eliminated.
In thorough operations above and below ground, the troops of the division rescued seven bodies of hostages – Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, Ron Benjamin, Yitzchak Gelernter, Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez – and returned them for burial in Israel.
In the fire effort, directed by the 98th Division Fire Control Center, more than 200 aerial strikes were carried out in close proximity to the operating troops, during which dozens of terrorists were eliminated, most of them at the command level in Hamas and dozens of terrorist infrastructure and weapon warehouses were destroyed.
The troops of the 98th Division have completed their mission in eastern Jabaliya and remain combat ready, and are preparing to continue operations in the Gaza Strip.
Footage from the operations of the combat teams in the 98th Division: https://bit.ly/3wZIQMt
Footage from the tunnels investigated by the soldiers of the Yahalom Unit in Jabaliya: https://bit.ly/3X4m4h9
Footage of the location of a tunnel shaft in a school by soldiers of the 6828th Battalion: https://bit.ly/3V5vKFv
Photos from the underground operations of the troops and the rescue of the seven bodies of the hostages: https://IDFANC.activetrail.biz/ANC3005202455748393
Photos of weapons found by the troops: https://IDFANC.activetrail.biz/anc31052024641516456415641
Photos from the operations of the combat teams: https://IDFANC.activetrail.biz/ANC300520243546594