IDF makes changes to humanitarian zone based on Hamas activity, calls on civilians to evacuate

Following condemnation of school strike, IDF discloses names of Hamas terrorists killed

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Following the global outcry over the Israeli strike on a Hamas command and control center embedded within the Al-Taabin school complex in the Dura' Tafah area on Saturday morning, the IDF released the names and photos of 19 terrorists it says were killed in the operation. The list of terrorists was released in an effort to substantiate Israel's assertion regarding the identities of those killed.

Israel Defense Forces said the airstrike was initiated was based on information from the Military Intelligence Directorate (AMAN) and Shin Bet, or the ISA (Israeli Security Agency). The IDF stated that it “took numerous steps to mitigate the risk to civilians,” including the use of precise munitions.

Shortly after the strike, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry claimed that almost 100 people were killed in the strike. The IDF disputed this figure, and the Gaza Health Ministry later reduced the number to 40 in a statement on its Telegram channel and claimed the previous estimate of 100 was made due to "a clerical error."

Gaza Health Ministry Telegram message, claiming original count of almost 100 dead was a "clerical error", and revising the number to 40.

After the IDF released the names of the terrorists who were eliminated, Hamas released an official statement claiming the statement was false and only an attempt to “justify its heinous crime.”

“Increasingly in recent months Hamas has focused on exploiting school buildings, often where civilians are sheltering inside, to use them as military facilities, command and control centers, for storing weapons, and to execute terrorist attacks,” said IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari.

“After we received clear intelligence of the threat posed by these terrorists, and in accordance with international humanitarian law, we took numerous steps to mitigate the risk to civilians. The IDF conducted a precision strike against the terrorists in one specific building of… pic.twitter.com/vViGhLzU4b
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 10, 2024

On Saturday evening, the IDF announced that intelligence indicated a “high probability that the commander of the Central Camps Brigade of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, Ashraf Juda, was at the military headquarters at the Al-Taba’een School that was targeted.”

The military stated that it is not yet clear whether he was struck during the attack.

The IDF dropped flyers in the Aljalaa area of northern Khan Younis in Gaza on Sunday morning, notifying civilians of changes to the humanitarian zone.

In its announcement, the IDF stated that due to significant terrorist activity and exploitation of the al-Mawasi Humanitarian Area for rocket fire toward the State of Israel from the Aljalaa area, remaining in that area had become dangerous. The statement also said that the humanitarian zone would be adjusted according to “precise intelligence indicating that Hamas has embedded terrorist infrastructure” in the humanitarian zone.

The military confirmed that the early warning to Palestinian civilians in Gaza was issued to “mitigate harm to the civilian population and keep civilians away from areas of combat.” It called on civilians in the area of Hamas activity to move to the adjusted humanitarian zone.

The calls for the temporary evacuation would be communicated to residents through SMS messages, recorded voice messages, phone calls, media broadcasts in Arabic and flyers, the IDF stated.

Since the start of the war last October, the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist groups have frequently used dedicated humanitarian areas as staging grounds for terror activities, including rocket launches towards Israel.

The IDF is continuing its operations in southern Gaza.

On Sunday morning, the IAF struck and eliminated a terror cell spotted by IDF observers exiting a tunnel shaft in the area of Rafah, near the Egyptian border.

O Saturday, IDF 98th Division Troops reportedly struck a site that was being used to launch rockets towards the Israeli border community of Kissufim, near the Israel-Gaza border.