IDF confirms surrender of many Hamas members
Many members of Hamas surrendered to Israeli military forces (photo: Getty Images)
In the Gaza Strip, many members of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas have surrendered to Israeli military forces. They reported that the leadership of the movement, operating underground, is ignoring notifications about the challenging situation they are facing and is neglecting the welfare of the region's population, according to The Times of Israel.
According to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari, operatives who surrendered are complaining that the leadership of Hamas is not informed about the difficult situation they are facing on the ground.
"IIn Shejaiya and Jabaliya, terrorists who surrendered handed over weapons and equipment. From the interrogations of the terrorists who surrendered, the following intelligence has emerged: The situation of the operatives on the ground is difficult, and the Hamas leadership, led by [Yahya] Sinwar, denies the reality even though it is updated on the details," he said.
The IDF spokesperson also reported a widespread belief that the underground leadership of Hamas is not concerned about the surface population in Gaza, and this also concerns the operatives of the movement.
"The intelligence that emerges from the interrogations creates more targets and aids us in the operational activity," Hagari added.
Israel-Hamas war
On October 7, militants from the radical Palestinian movement Hamas launched an attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. During the assault, terrorists engaged in widespread killing and abduction of both military and civilian residents of the country. The attack was accompanied by mass rocket strikes on major cities in Israel.
At the end of October, Tel Aviv initiated a ground military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
On November 24, the parties agreed to a four-day ceasefire for the release of hostages. However, on December 1, Israel resumed military actions in the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of violating the ceasefire conditions.
Meanwhile, the United States vetoed a resolution in the UN Security Council calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The resolution, proposed by the United Arab Emirates, received support from 13 members of the UN Security Council.
The United States is urging Israel to conclude its war against Hamas by the end of 2023.
