Close Call: IDF Eliminates Terrorists Attacking Base in Gaza City, Attempting to Take Soldiers Hostage

Israeli forces remain on high alert and engaged in combat operations even as high-stakes negotiations for a hostage deal continue abroad. Today, the Golani Brigade combat team successfully neutralized several terrorists who attempted to attack a fortified position, or "revetment," in the Gaza City area.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the troops eliminated the terrorists in close coordination with the Air Force. Forces are currently continuing to search the area for any additional infiltrators. Crucially, there were no casualties among the Israeli forces during the incident.

According to a follow-up report, an initial group of eight terrorists participated in the attack, of whom three were killed by the IDF. The remaining attackers fled, and weapons were recovered from the bodies of the neutralized terrorists. This attempted attack highlights the determination of terror groups to strike Israeli troops even during the third day of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Defense Minister Visits Gaza City

Earlier in the day, Minister of Defense Israel Katz visited the al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City. He was accompanied by key commanders, including the head of Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaniv Ashur, the commander of Division 36, Brig. Gen. Moran Omer, and the commanders of the Golani and 7th Brigades.

The Minister of Defense received a briefing from the commanders about the ongoing fighting in the city. He praised the troops for their powerful actions, saying they have "created the conditions for negotiations to release all the hostages and achieve the war's objectives."

Katz emphasized that the decision to capture Gaza City and the strong ground manoeuvre were the factors that created the opportunity to "end the war now with victory." He instructed the IDF to be ready for any eventuality and stressed the importance of protecting the lives of the soldiers, authorizing the use of all necessary force "without any limitation or hesitation."

Pattern of Attacks on IDF Positions

The recent incident is part of a pattern of ongoing attempts by Hamas terrorists to infiltrate and execute attacks against Israeli forces' positions in the Gaza Strip.

Just last week, Givati Reconnaissance soldiers neutralized an armed terrorist who was attempting to approach their position while hidden under a blanket. This comes after a serious incident approximately two weeks ago, where a close-range engagement with terrorists who had infiltrated a position in the northern Gaza Strip resulted in a medical officer, an armored corps officer, and three tank soldiers from Battalion 82 being severely wounded. In that incident, terrorists had managed to attach two explosive devices to a tank, with six other soldiers sustaining minor injuries.

The continued combat operations in Gaza City are taking place simultaneously with the third day of peace negotiations in Egypt. An Israeli senior official reported to Al-Arabiya that "We are cautiously approaching the completion of the first phase" of the deal. US envoys and representatives from Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front have joined the talks, with focus now shifting to the list of high-value prisoners, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Sa'adat, and the maps for the Israeli withdrawal.