IDF and security forces arrested another 25 terrorists in the Palestinian Authority (PA) Saturday night, mainly northwest of Hevron.
As of Sunday morning, 413 Hamas terrorists have been arrested in Operation Brother's Keeper, the wide-ranging operation to both crack down on Hamas activity in Judea and Samaria and find three yeshiva students kidnapped by terrorists over two weeks ago.
IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz issued a formal approval of the operation's extension through Ramadan Saturday, noting the progress Israel has made so far.
"Since the operation began, 2200 targets have been searched - both in open and closed areas - and all of our intelligence has translated immediately into what's going on in the field," Gantz noted. Over 15,000 soldiers are now estimated to be actively participating in the operation, mostly from elite combat units.
Last week, the IDF named the main suspects in the investigation over the abduction as Marwan Kawasmeh and Amar Abu-Eisha, two well-known Hamas terrorists in the Hevron area.
On Friday, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon reiterated that, despite the fact that over two weeks have passed, there is still hope for the boys.
"As long as there is no evidence to the contrary, the assumption of our work is that the boys are alive," he said.