Israeli Forces Raid Vacation Homes of Yahya Sinwar and Other Hamas Leaders

Jerusalem, 17 December, 2023 (TPS) -- Israeli soldiers in Khan Yunis raided the vacation homes of several senior Hamas leaders including Yahya Sinwar, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday.

The IDF also seized the office of the commander of Hamas’s Khan Yunis Brigade, as well as underground and terror infrastructure.

Also captured was the main square of Bani Suheila, a suburb of Khan Yunis.

The IDF said that forces from the Seventh Brigade have eliminated many terrorists and exposed about 30 tunnel shafts in the past week of fighting. In addition, the brigade destroyed dozens of Hamas anti-tank positions and observation posts, confiscated weapons such as grenades, RPGs and seized intelligence equipment such as telephones, computers and instruction leaflets.

Israeli forces also raided the Hamas outpost of the “Deir al-Balah” battalion, confiscating intelligence equipment and military training books.

Khan Yunis is the second largest in the Strip and is considered the capital of Gaza’s southern district.

It is also regarded as a personal stronghold of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, whose family lives there. Since the war began, the IDF has eliminated two members of the Hamas ruling politburo as well as associates of Sinwar, who live in Khan Yunis.

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.