In on-site questioning, the terrorists said they had planned to flee after another terrorist who was with them in the shaft was killed during a clash with IDF troops.
A group of Hamas terrorists surrendered to Givati Brigade troops in the area of Beit Hanun in northern Gaza after they emerged from a tunnel on Saturday, and were interrogated on the spot.
Hamas’s Beit Hanun Battalion, which posed a threat to Nir Am and Sderot, has been defeated, the military announced in a release.
In on-site questioning, the terrorists said they had planned to flee after another terrorist who was with them in the shaft was killed during a clash with IDF troops.
The terrorists revealed that there was a weapons cache nearby, which they led the troops to. The troops seized large quantities of weapons, including vests, magazines, fragmented grenades, and firearms.
Troops also found equipment for prolonged stays, including food, water, and hygiene supplies inside the tunnel.
IDF troops speak on interview
“There is a very significant operational achievement here for the brigade,” Lt.-Col. S., commander of the Givati Reconnaissance Unit, told N12. “There has been a very deep process involving the underground infrastructure for a long time now.
The commander revealed that the three captured terrorists had been out of contact with their leadership and underground for months.
“They’re not just low-level operatives. They’re soldiers under the company commander we eliminated last week – his subordinates. They had been out of contact for a very long time, underground for several months, with no grasp of the outside reality.”
“Basically, they said they were abandoned underground and cut off. At the start there were four of them – one was killed in a strike, and the remaining three were stuck in a 500-meter to 1-kilometer stretch, unable to communicate or mount any attack.”
Terrorists were transferred for further questioning
The terrorists were transferred to security authorities for further interrogation. Troops are currently examining the tunnel in the area.
The Givati Brigade was operating under the command of Division 162 in northern Gaza, and began its encirclement of the Beit Hanun area after five IDF soldiers were killed and an additional 14 wounded due to a Hamas ambush involving several improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in early July.
The IDF carried out operations in Beit Hanun many times over the course of the war. Most of the city has been badly damaged or destroyed in the war.
Yahoo News – Latest News & Headlines
Read the full article .
