Israeli soldiers acting on intelligence engaged Hamas terrorists operating inside two UN-run schools in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces said on Monday.
The IDF said the terror squads were hiding inside the “Al Rafaa” and “Zavaha” schools in the northern Gaza area of Tuffah.
“This is further evidence of Hamas’ use of the civilian population and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip as human shields for its terrorist activity,” the IDF said in its statement.
During the encounter and elimination of the terrorists, the soldiers of the IDF’s Nahal Brigade also located dozens of explosive devices hidden inside UNRWA bags, along with Kalashnikov rifles and 15 explosive belts.
In one of Hamas’ attempts to attack our soldiers, a terrorist fired an anti-tank missile at IDF soldiers. Immediately afterwards, the terrorist was eliminated by a precise strike from a tank.
The IDF added that many of terrorists hiding inside the two schools were identified as operatives of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad and were brought in for questioning. Several had participated in the October 7 massacre of Israelis in communities adjacent to Gaza.
The sacks, belonging to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), raise further questions about the role of it and other UN agencies in supporting Hamas.
Training rifles and UNICEF donations found in one Gaza elementary school, soldiers discovered Hamas used UNRWA sacks in the construction of at least one terror tunnel.
In early December, Israeli soldiers discovered inside a home in northern Gaza more than 100 rockets hidden among UNRWA boxes.
In October, the UNRWA reported that fuel and humanitarian aid was stolen from one its compounds by trucks purporting to be from the Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
Raising further questions about the UN agency, one released hostage told Israeli reporter Almog Boker that he was held captive by a UNRWA teacher. The hostage said the teacher locked him away and barely fed or cared for his medical treatment.
At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. The number of men, women, children, soldiers and foreigners held captive in Gaza by Hamas is now believed to be 129. Other people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains.
