An unusual security incident that occurred the same day that the hostages were released was revealed on Tuesday for the first time.
Two weeks ago, on the eve of the Simchat Torah holiday, the IDF caught a squad of Hamas terrorists that crossed into the area under IDF control near the Shuja'iyya neighborhood and reached a distance of approximately a kilometer from the border fence adjacent to Nahal Oz.
According to a report by Galei Tzahal, a Hermes 450 attack drone tracked the squads' movements and directed ground forces from the 11th Reserve Brigade, who apprehended the terrorists, who were found to be unarmed.
During an initial field interrogation, the terrorists led the troops to a nearby mosque where they had apparently intended to arm themselves.
At the mosque, the troops found high-powered explosives, RPG ammunition, and intelligence materials that proved that the structure was used as a headquarters for Hamas's Shuja'iyya Battalion. The troops also found a model of Kibbutz Sa'ad, which is located near the Gaza border.
The IDF has yet to explain why it did not publish the incident. In addition, it is unclear if the terror squad intended to launch an immediate attack from the headquarters to which it was headed.
The IDF noted that the terrorists were arrested in accordance with the rules of engagement since they were unarmed while crossing into IDF-controlled territories. "The rules of engagement allow the removal of any threat to the forces on the ground."
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit commented: "Several unarmed suspects arrived a the Yellow Line area. The suspects were tracked from the moment they approached and were apprehended by the forces more than a kilometer away from the border. The suspects were interrogated and were found to be terrorists, and therefore, they were taken for interrogation in Israel."