A few hours before the ceasefire between Israel and the Islamic Jihad went into effect, Israel Air Force attacked a house in the Deir al-Balah refugee camp, killing Rasmi Abu Malhus, commander of the rocket launching unit in the Islamic Jihad central division. According to the Gaza health ministry, seven family members were reportedly killed as well. 12 were wounded.
Before midnight, the IDF spokesperson tweeted: “A short time ago, IDF fighter jets and aircraft attacked several terrorist targets of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. Among the terrorist targets were a war room used by the terrorist organization in Khan Yunis, which initiates routine and emergency activities, and which also serves as a military compound of the terrorist organization in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.”
At about the same time, an IDF naval craft attacked an Islamic Jihad military training compound that also served as a weapons warehouse.
Ma’an reported that “Egyptian intelligence reached a truce agreement approved by Islamic Jihad and the occupying power, which came into effect at 5:30 AM Thursday. Islamic Jihad spokesman Mussab al-Braim confirmed the deal had been reached. The agreement stipulates that Israel will agree to the terms of the Islamic Jihad movement, most notably the cessation of assassinations as well as a ceasefire regarding the demonstrators of the marches of return, which must be kept peaceful.”
In the short operation this week, the IDF increased the rate of its attacks and expanded the type of targets, most notably, IAF warplanes reportedly attacked 10 Islamic Jihad rocket launching squads in mid-operation, killing at least 20.
These accurate elimination actions were carried out in collaboration between the Southern Command, the Air Force and the IDF Intelligence Division, and have degraded the Jihad’s ability to launch rockets at Israeli civilians.
This was complemented by the attack on a major rocket warhead production plant in the southern Gaza Strip, which destroyed unique raw materials for long-range rocket production. The Islamic Jihad relied on this rocket production system in the renewal and maintenance of its rocket inventory.
Since the assassination of Baha Abu al-Atta on Tuesday morning, Israel has eliminated 32 terrorists, most of them members of the Islamic Jihad. About 100 were wounded.