Soldiers from the IDF's Brigade 7 have been operating in the Khan Yunis area in southern Gaza for the past two weeks, the IDF confirmed.
The soldiers located caches of weapons, eliminated many terrorists in clashes and ambushes, and directed aircraft to strike targets from the air.
During the operations, fighters from the IDF's Battalion 12 operated in a mosque in a Hamas stronghold in the Khan Yunis area. These forces identified a wide underground infrastructure in the mosque.
In one of the rooms, an explosive was detonated and shots were fired towards the forces, who returned fire while evacuating their injured comrades. With the help of the IAF, the fighters eliminated additional terrorists who were attempting to escape the mosque.
It was during this battle that Sergeant Maor Cohen Eisenkot and Staff sergeant Jonatan Dean Jr Haim fell.
During the raids on the terror infrastructure, the soldiers found weapons, instruction booklets, and more.