Tel Aviv [Israel], December 21 : The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that it has established full "operational control" over Gaza City's Shejaiya neighbourhood, which witnessed fierce fighting during the ground offensive against Hamas, The Times of Israel reported.
In a statement, the IDF said the 36th Division has completed dismantling Hamas' "core capabilities" in Shejaiya. The IDF further said troops will continue to carry out limited operations in the neighbourhood to destroy Hamas infrastructure and kill any operatives still hiding.
During the fighting in Shejaiya, the IDF said troops encountered and killed many Hamas operatives who opened fire and set off explosives. In one incident, nine soldiers, including two senior officers, were killed in a Hamas ambush, according to The Times of Israel report.
According to the IDF, dozens of tuneel shafts found in homes, schools, health clinics and weapons were destroyed. The IDF said troops of the Golani Brigade raided the homes of senior Hamas members and seized intelligence materials in Shejaiya.
It said that the 188th Armoured Brigade captured the headquarters of Hamas' Shejaiya battalion, from which terrorists set out to conduct the attack in southern Israel on October 7, The Times of Israel reported.
Meanwhile, the Paratroopers Brigade destroyed over 100 buildings used by Hamas in the area and located dozens of tunnel shafts. It arrested many terrorists who had surrendered, which included a Hamas company commander and terrorists who participated in the October 7 attack.
Earlier, the IDF announced that it has expanded its ground operations in the central Gaza Strip, with the 99th Division conducting an operation in areas south of Gaza City, The Times of Israel reported.
The IDF said the 99th Division manoeuvred into new areas of central Gaza to have "operational control" between Gaza City and the refugee camps in central Gaza.
It said that the division's 179th Reserve Armoured Brigade and 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade killed members of Hamas's Nuseirat battalion and destroyed the infrastructure of Hamas, including tunnels and weapon depots.
The IDF said an airstrike was conducted against a Hamas cell firing RPGs from a municipal building. Meanwhile, the IDF said the division's Yiftah Brigade continued working to clear the western neighbourhoods of Gaza City's Hamas infrastructure.
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