All news

Over 500 radicals detained by Israeli military in Gaza Strip over past month — IDF

Since the end of the operational pause, the IDF and ISA apprehended approximately 140 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists in the Gaza Strip

TEL AVIV, December 12. /TASS/. The Israeli military has detained more than 500 Palestinian radicals in the Gaza Strip over the past month, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

"Since the end of the operational pause, the IDF and ISA (Israeli Security Agency - TASS) apprehended approximately 140 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists in the Gaza Strip. The operatives were detained in recent days by IDF soldiers. Some voluntarily turned themselves in and were transferred by field interrogators from Unit 504 in the Intelligence Directorate and the ISA for further questioning," it said.

"In the past month, a total of over 350 Hamas terrorist operatives were apprehended by the IDF and ISA. In addition, over 120 Islamic Jihad terrorist operatives were apprehended. Overall, over 500 terrorist operatives were apprehended in the Gaza Strip and were transferred to Israeli territory for further questioning," it added.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 after militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise incursion on Israeli territory, killing many Israeli kibbutz residents living near the Gaza border and abducting more than 200 Israelis, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ aggressive actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria, as well as a ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank.