Israel forces on Wednesday repelled a Hamas attack on a military shelter in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, preventing what officials described as a potential hostage crisis.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF), in a statement on X, said over 15 armed militants launched gunfire and anti-tank missiles while attempting to storm a fortified position.
Troops from Sayeret Haruv, an elite reconnaissance unit, engaged the attackers in close combat, killing 10, while the remaining assailants fled.
“One soldier was severely wounded, and two others sustained light injuries,” the IDF confirmed.
UAVs and fighter jets were deployed to pursue the retreating fighters, with operations still ongoing to track them down. Military commanders said the strike was aimed at catching Israeli forces off guard, but swift troop response prevented mass casualties and possible abductions.
The attempted assault occurred as Israel mobilised up to 60,000 troops ahead of a planned ground offensive in Gaza City.
Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israeli border communities left about 1,200 people dead and 252 hostages taken. Of the roughly 50 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza, about 30 are feared dead.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported that at least 62,122 people have been killed in Israeli military operations since the conflict began.
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