Israel carries out brief second incursion into Gaza with tanks and troops

Israel sent a more troops and tanks into the Gaza Strip overnight on Thursday in a second limited ground raid, in which they attacked strategic Hamas terrorist locations.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, the raid occurred near the Shuja'iyya neighborhood, in the east of Gaza City, and was carried out by infantry, combat engineering and armored forces, as well drones and helicopters. Israeli Air Force fighter jets provided air cover. According to the Israeli Army, the attack hit anti-tank missile launch sites, Hamas terrorist command centers and operational controls .

According to the IDF, several Hamas members were also killed in this new raid, some of them high-ranking members within the organization who played an important role in the Oct. 7 terrorist raid.

All Israeli forces left the area after several hours, and no injuries have been reported on the Israeli side, according to Israeli military authorities.

In the last hours, the Israeli Army assured that another high-ranking member of the terrorist group was killed in the latest counterattacks. It is Madhat Mubasher, commander of the Hamas battalion, who was killed during an air offensive. The IDF posted images of its bombing on social media.

In its latest offensives, the IDF confirmed that more than 250 targets were hit. Among them several strategic Hamas infrastructures such as tunnels.

A total of 233 hostages

The IDF reports the total number of people who have been captured by Hamas since Oct. 7 has increased to 233, five more than yesterday.

Of the 233, four have already been released: Judith and Natalie Ra'anan, a mother and daughter, and Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper.

According to The Times of Israel, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said the figure is not yet final, as they are still investigating whether there are more hostages.

Gaza without internet and telephone lines

According to media reports from the Gaza Strip, the territory has been without internet access and telephone lines since Friday. The Red Cross, which operates inside Gaza, says it has lost all communication with some of its medical teams present in Gaza. According to a Palestinian telecommunications company, the interruption of service came due to heavy shelling on Friday.

The IDF increased its airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, in what some media described as "unprecedented intensity." According to military spokesmen, the Israeli Air Force hopes to reach Hamas' underground infrastructure with its airstrikes. Also from the ground, the IDF intensified its operations on the Gaza border on Friday. Some exchanges of fire and rockets were reported from the Palestinian side.