Israel captures senior Hamas member in Gaza City raid — SkimNews
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- Israel Katz announced the capture of a senior Hamas member during a raid in Gaza City by Israeli special forces and an Israel-backed Palestinian militia, speaking after meeting Israelis in Netiv HaAsara.
- Israeli air strikes during the operation killed at least two children and a woman in a crowded part of western Gaza City, per local medics; a third child was killed in a separate incident in central Gaza.
- Hamas-run government media office spokesman Ismail al-Thawabta claimed the Israeli special forces unit was exposed mid-operation and several unit members were killed — a claim directly contradicted by the IDF.
- The Israeli military confirmed striking multiple targets 'in order to remove threats' to troops and said none of its soldiers were injured, while some Israeli media suggested only a local armed militia — not special forces — operated on the ground.
- A Palestinian security source told the BBC the target was a senior official in Hamas's internal security service; Katz did not identify the captured Hamas commander.
- Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel, more than 73,460 people have been killed in Gaza, per the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures the UN considers reliable.
Why it matters: The operation exposes sharply competing narratives: Hamas claims Israeli special forces were exposed and killed, the IDF denies any troop casualties, and some Israeli media question whether special forces were even present — while three civilians, including two children, died in strikes in a crowded Gaza City neighborhood.
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