The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced on Friday that, as part of the joint IDF and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) strike conducted Thursday, the IDF struck a number of Hamas terrorists who operated inside an UNRWA complex in the area of Zeytoun, used as the Hamas Gaza City Brigade headquarters.
Terrorist Adel Hamdiya, the military intelligence officer of Hamas' Gaza City Brigade, was eliminated in the strike, according to the statement.
Hamdiya has been in his role since 2019. Before the war, he was responsible for the gathering and formulation of the brigade's intelligence assessment in preparation for the October 7th brutal massacre.
During the war, the terrorist was responsible for directing offensive terror activities against IDF troops and formulating intelligence assessments about IDF ground troops.
In addition, as part of his role, Hamdiya was responsible for gathering intelligence and conducting situational assessments for senior operatives in the Gaza Brigade and senior operatives in Hamas' military wing.
His department was responsible for promoting attacks against IDF ground troops and communities in southern Israel.
“The Hamas terrorist organization systematically violates international law, exploiting civilian structures and populations as human shields for its terror activities,” said the IDF.
Hamas and other terrorist organizations in Gaza continue to use UNRWA buildings for terrorist activities against Israelis.
On Tuesday, the IAF struck terrorists who were operating in a UNRWA school in the area of Nuseirat.
The terrorists planned and directed numerous attacks against IDF troops in the Gaza Strip.
Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken in order to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of aerial surveillance, precise munitions, and additional intelligence.
On Monday, Major General Ghassan Alian, head of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) tweeted to express harsh criticism of the head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, who professed himself shocked by the IDF attacks on the agency's compounds in the Gaza Strip.
"These are the things that should shock you,'' Alian began. "You allowed Hamas to develop a terrorist infrastructure almost in all the agency's facilities, and paid for years to Hamas terrorists who are employed in the UNRWA agency."
"Hamas stole your fuel and equipment over the years, and worst of all, even after we informed you of Hamas's deep involvement in UNRWA prior to October 7th, you did nothing with all that information," he accused.
"That is what is shocking. All your other statements are just an attempt to evade your own and the organization's responsibility,'' Alian concluded.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)