“Precision strikes hit Hamas militants planning to hijack Gaza aid trucks”: Israel Defense Forces

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Thursday they launched precision strikes on armed Hamas militants in southern Gaza based on intelligence indicating a plan to hijack humanitarian aid trucks.

The IDF said the operation targeted militants operating along the humanitarian corridor to ensure the safe delivery of aid to civilians in Gaza, while preventing Hamas from diverting supplies to terrorist activities.

The IDF shared a post on Twitter, writing, “Following intelligence indicating the presence of Hamas terrorists, the IDF conducted precision strikes on armed Hamas terrorists gathered at two separate meeting points in southern Gaza. The terrorists acted on the humanitarian corridor. The aim of the attack was to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

The post said, “All of the terrorists killed were members of Hamas and had planned to violently hijack humanitarian aid trucks and transfer them to Hamas in support of continued terrorist activities, preventing them from reaching Gazan civilians.” Can be stopped, as was done in previous cases.”

The IDF further stressed that the humanitarian corridor will remain open and operational, and reaffirmed its commitment to international law and reducing harm to civilians.

“We emphasize that the IDF does not attack humanitarian aid trucks and that the humanitarian corridor remains open and active. The IDF continues to work precisely against the Hamas terrorist organization and take every measure to minimize harm to uninvolved civilians, and with @cogatonline, to enable and facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid to the citizens of Gaza. Will continue to act in accordance with international law. ,” the IDF said.

Earlier in the day, Israel attacked Palestinian security guards escorting a humanitarian aid shipment into the Gaza Strip, killing at least 12 people and injuring several others, Al Jazeera reported.

A video clip shared by local Palestinian media in Gaza showed bodies being laid out in a morgue, believed to be those of security personnel of an aid convoy that was targeted west of Khan Yunis on Thursday.

The attack was the latest attack by Israeli forces on humanitarian aid workers, convoys and those trying to aid the safe entry of food and other supplies into war-torn Gaza.

According to Al Jazeera, Gaza is facing food shortages and the threat of famine in the north of the territory, where Israeli military ground operations and siege have been ongoing for several weeks.