Israel Captures Senior Hamas Official in Gaza Raid
Israel's defence minister, Yoav Katz, declared that a senior Hamas operative has been seized during an operation in Gaza City.
The announcement came after reports that Israeli special forces and a pro‑Israeli Palestinian militia conducted a raid in Gaza City, during which Israeli aircraft launched strikes that killed at least two children and a woman. A third child was killed in a separate incident in central Gaza.
Youn Katz did not disclose the identity of the captured official, but stressed that Israel does not wait for threats “to act” and will continue to target and dismantle Hamas terror infrastructure.
The raid followed a quick March meeting with residents of Netiv HaAsara, just north of Gaza, where Katz confirmed that Israeli forces maintain constant presence in the territory. He also noted that the operation was not intended to discover Israeli troops but aimed at eliminating threats.
The falling violence in Gaza reflects broader conflict dynamics that began with the Hamas‑led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and left 251 hostages. Over 73,000 civilians in Gaza have been killed since then, according to the Hamas‑run health ministry, figures considered reliable by the UN.
