Earlier in the day, Israeli officials noted that Hamas could immediately return one of the deceased hostages if it chose to do so, and could hand over another within several days.

Regarding two additional deceased hostages, the assessment in Israel is that Hamas does not know where they are. In recent weeks, however, Israeli officials have already discovered that Hamas holds information on some of the deceased hostages whose whereabouts Israel had believed Hamas did not know. For this reason, Israel's demand of Hamas is now unequivocal: the return of all four remaining deceased hostages.

Hamas conducted another search earlier Thursday for a deceased hostage in the Zeitoun neighborhood, across the yellow line, meaning within an area under Israeli control. The search produced no results. Israeli officials stress that Hamas is stalling, in part to strengthen its own governance and consolidate its standing ahead of the second phase of the deal. In that stage, Israel will be required to withdraw further from the area, while Hamas will be required to disarm.

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The evidence includes testimonies, video documentation, and accumulated documents that revealed the involvement of hundreds of UNRWA employees in terror, incitement, and actual membership in terror organizations. In total, 490 verified cases of agency employees who praised massacre acts, incited violence, or actively worked within the organizations themselves are shown.

Among the employees are very senior UNRWA figures. Pierre Krähenbühl, the former commissioner, was documented in a series of work meetings with Hamas senior Suhail al-Hindi, a member of the Political Bureau in Gaza. Al-Hindi himself worked at UNRWA as a teacher and was promoted to a senior role as head of the teachers' branch in the agency's union in Gaza. In this role, he also served as principal of an UNRWA school. He currently lives abroad.

During the war, Issam Al-Daalis was killed. He served as "Hamas' shadow prime minister" and a Political Bureau member in Gaza. Al-Daalis also served as a teacher and head of the teachers' branch in the UNRWA workers' union.

Another senior Hamas figure mentioned is Muhammad al-Jamasi, who was killed in the war. Al-Jamasi was employed at UNRWA for 16 years as an engineer. Additionally, Hamas senior in Lebanon, Fathi Sharif, simultaneously served as a senior in UNRWA's teachers' organization. The research revealed a total of 61 senior terrorists with UNRWA ties.

One of the well-known figures is Mahmoud al-Zahar, a veteran leader of Hamas. His daughter, Samah Mahmoud al-Zahar, worked for a decade as a UNRWA teacher and as an administrative assistant in a regional agency office. Her husband, incidentally, was Ahmed Rajab Awad, head of Hamas's weapons production unit, who was killed in 2006.

Beyond this, it was revealed for the first time that UNRWA school principals and senior teachers were part of the founding generation of Hamas and the Popular Front. Among them are Ahmed Nimer Hamdan, Hammad al-Hasanat, Muhammad Hassan Shama'a, Ibrahim Abu Salem, Abdullah Abu Azza, Ghassan Kanafani, Muhammad Yusuf al-Najjar, Jamal Khatab, Muhammad Tah, and Jamil Alyan.

The name of October 7 massacre architect Yahya Sinwar, also appears among the findings. A 2021 meeting between him and UNRWA's deputy commissioner, Leni Stenseth, was documented. During the meeting, the Norwegian diplomat apologized for statements made by the agency's then-director, who said "the IDF's strikes were accurate." She even thanked Sinwar for "his positive approach and willingness to continue cooperation in facilitating the agency's work in Gaza."

In the Islamic Jihad sector, the name of the organization's operative, Hani Kaskin, is mentioned. He is a "social studies" teacher at UNRWA and an agency union member. Israel took the trouble to inform the agency about its Islamic Jihad activity as early as 2011, but nothing was done. Another Islamic Jihad operative who worked at UNRWA is Awad al-Qiq, who served as deputy principal of a UNRWA school. Another example is Ashraf al-Madhoun, an agency employee who simultaneously served as an operative in the organization.

The research also shows "random" cases of pure antisemitism among UNRWA employees. For example, agency employee Ahmed Khalifa shared a Hitler video on Facebook. Adnan Sardana, another employee, shared a video calling to attack Tel Aviv. Another UNRWA employee in Lebanon, whose name is Tarek Abu Rizla, celebrated the murder of Jews and praised Hamas.

"This tool exposes what UNRWA and its supporters tried to hide for years," UN Watch CEO Hillel Neuer said. "UNRWA claims they are a humanitarian agency, but the evidence proves this agency is crawling with Hamas agents. Many of its employees are not impartial civil servants but terrorists in UN uniforms. The problem isn't 'a few rotten apples in the barrel,' as the International Court of Justice ruled last week. The problem is structural, widespread, and deliberately created. To continue funding UNRWA is not humanitarian work – it's a silent consent to terror acts."

"The hundreds of UNRWA employees exposed are just the tip of the iceberg," Neuer added. "For decades, UNRWA operated without any oversight while billions of dollars in aid money flowed to Gaza from the international community. Donor governments must decide – will they continue writing open checks to an agency that builds Hamas or will they demand it take responsibility?"

Precisely in these days, international figures are applying pressure so that UNRWA will nevertheless be integrated into the post-war agenda in Gaza. "As we consider how post-war Gaza should look, one thing is clear – it should be a Gaza free from UNRWA," Neuer clarifies.

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One central Hamas operative designated for release is Imad Qawasmeh (52), who has been serving 16 life sentences since 2004 for involvement in a suicide bombing that killed 16 Israelis. According to the Prisoners Organization Media Office, he is one of the "leaders" of the terrorists in prison.

The West Bank resident was involved in offenses including training terrorists, attempted murder, and conspiracy to cause death with intent. Qawasmeh is on the deportation list. During a 2004 operation, after the attack in which he was involved, he was captured by Israeli forces after his house was bombed and he escaped through a tunnel. He has a long history of attacks. He was first sentenced to five years in prison in 1994 when he assisted Hamas' "military wing" logistically. In 1999 he was released after completing his sentence, and eventually returned to terrorist activity in the Second Intifada.

Another Hamas operative designated for release is Qassem Aref Khalil al-Asafreh (36). In 2019 he was arrested after being involved in a stabbing attack in Gush Etzion, in which soldier Dvir Sorek was murdered.

Al-Asafreh was part of a terrorist cell with his cousin and another operative. The cell failed in two attempts before the attack. After the murder they planned another attack. Al-Asafreh is designated for deportation.

Muhammad Aref Samhan (55) is a terrorist who dispatched several suicide bombers, and is responsible for the attack on Bus Line 2, in which 23 people were murdered and 130 others were wounded. He is designated for deportation and belonged to the "Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades," from Fatah, during the Second Intifada.

Ibrahim Muhammad al-Raai (46) is a terrorist belonging to a Tanzim cell of Fatah. He is responsible for a bombing attack in the Casbah in Nablus, in which Osher Damari fell in 2006. Al-Raai was only arrested in 2022. He was recruited remotely by a terrorist from Gaza and worked to recruit additional terrorists. He was also involved in shooting attacks in the area of Joseph's Tomb. From the Shin Bet investigation it emerged that he participated in dozens of shooting attacks against Israeli forces and planting explosives.

One of those designated for release to the West Bank, who is not designated for deportation, is Rashid Mahmoud Omar (48). He was convicted of causing death with intent, membership in a Fatah terrorist cell, shooting at people, attempted murder, and involvement in hostile actions. He was arrested several months after the end of the Second Intifada (summer 2005) in the village of Faraoon in Samaria. He was convicted of the murder of a Palestinian whom he accused of "collaboration with Israel."

Another Fatah operative is Raad Abd al-Aziz (45), who was convicted of offenses including causing death with intent, possession of firearms, attempted murder, and conspiracy to cause death with intent. He is a resident of the Ramallah area who has been in prison for approximately 20 years for terrorist activity in the Second Intifada. Al-Aziz is designated for deportation abroad.

From PIJ, Omar Mahmoud Bassis (60) is designated for release. He is a terrorist convicted of planting explosives, membership in a terrorist organization, shooting at people, and attempted murder. He was also captured during the Second Intifada, in 2004. Also from PIJ, Arafat Hamid Zir (43) is expected to be released to the West Bank area. He was convicted of membership in a terrorist organization, aiding murder, and incitement to murder, and entered prison in 2003.

Faisal Mahmoud Abdullah Khalifa (43) is also set to be released to the Samaria area and not be deported. He is a Hamas operative who has been in security detention since December 2024. He is accused of offenses including membership in a terrorist organization, providing shelter to wanted persons, storing weapons, and conspiracy to cause death with intent.

On the deportation list is Firas Sadiq Muhammad Ghanem (51). He is a security detainee from Jerusalem, who was captured during the Second Intifada. He is accused of offenses including state security, causing death with intent, possession of firearms, attempted murder, conspiracy to cause death with intent, and more. According to the Prisoners Organization, he is accused of participating in attacks when he belonged to the "Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades," the Fatah branch in those years. It was also noted that these attacks led to nine murdered Israelis.

Another person designated for release in the deal is Ibrahim al-Hani (54), a Popular Front operative sentenced to multiple life sentences for involvement in attacks in the Second Intifada. He has been in prison since 2006 and survived an assassination attempt in the past.

Another Popular Front operative is Ibrahim al-Qam (53), who is supposed to be released. He is serving two life sentences for involvement in terrorist activity. He is one of those designated for deportation.

Another Fatah operative designated for deportation is Atiyah Abu Samhadana (56), from the Gaza Strip. He was captured in 1996 for offenses including murder and use of dangerous drugs. He is one of the veteran prisoners, a Rafah resident arrested for terrorist operations. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, which is supposed to end this month.

From PIJ, Iyad Muhammad Abu al-Rub (51) is designated for release, a senior figure in the organization and "head of the military wing" in Jenin. He is responsible for planning a series of suicide bombings. He was involved in attacks at a club in Tel Aviv and a mall in Netanya. He is designated for deportation.

From Hamas, Alaa al-Din al-Karki (52) is designated for deportation. He is accused of causing death with intent, possession of weapons, throwing Molotov cocktails, attempted murder, and more. Al-Karki has been in prison since 1993.

Ghufran al-Zamel, fiancée of senior Hamas figure in prison Hassan Salameh, whom Israel refuses to release, appealed to Hamas leaders Khalil al-Hayya, Zaher Jabarin, Khaled Mashal, and Muhammad Darwish. "We, the families of veteran prisoners and those sentenced to life imprisonment, demand that you not give up on them. Abandoning them would be breaking a covenant that has lasted more than three decades. Do not abandon Sinwar's will and Muhammad Deif's commitment," she declared.

In the message she also mentioned the names of arch-terrorists Abdullah Barghouti, Ibrahim Hamed, and Abbas al-Sayed, whom she calls to release along with Salameh.

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An Egyptian source told Al-Araby al-Jadeed that Cairo cautioned against any attack on al-Nakhalah, who is now based in the Egyptian capital almost permanently due to the rising threat of an Israeli strike.

The source added that Egypt, as part of its mediation role in negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza, recently received a request to provide al-Nakhalah with semi-permanent housing. Meanwhile, a source from Islamic Jihad's office in Lebanon refused to comment, saying the terrorist organization does not respond to such reports.

The newspaper said there is concern that senior officials could be targeted during visits to Egypt as part of talks with Egyptian intelligence. It also reported that several Hamas leaders left their headquarters in Lebanon because of ongoing Israeli strikes there, fearing they too could be killed.

A senior Hamas figure told Al-Araby al-Jadeed that the terrorist organization had received warnings from officials in several countries where members of the terrorist organization's political bureau reside. According to the source, these governments advised them to implement stricter security protocols and deploy more guards.

The Hamas official also revealed that Turkey has recently taken tougher measures regarding the protection of senior Hamas operatives on its soil, including several prisoners released in the latest hostage deal.

Just last week, Hamas' internal security wing issued a "security warning" to its leaders abroad about Israeli attempts to assassinate them. The warning claimed that Israel was deliberately spreading rumors of planned killings to create psychological and media confusion and to prepare public opinion ahead of potential future assassinations.

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Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah signed a declaration in Beijing vowing to form a government together, the groups said Tuesday, in the latest attempt at resolving their long rivalry. The statement was signed by 14 Palestinian factions, including terrorist organizations such as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front.

According to The Associated Press, both sides said the accord, which provided no guarantees or timeline, was only an initial step. Previous such declarations have failed, raising doubt over whether the China-sponsored negotiations might lead to a resolution between Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip for the past 17 years, and Fatah, the main force in the US-backed Palestinian Authority that administers parts of the West Bank.

Israel swiftly denounced the agreement. Israel's foreign minister said no joint governance between Hamas and Fatah in Gaza would take place "because Hamas' rule will be crushed." The US and other Western countries have refused to accept any Palestinian government that includes Hamas unless it expressly recognizes Israel. This factor has wrecked past unity attempts, along with the factions' own competition for power.

The Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah signed a declaration in Beijing on ending the schism and strengthening Palestinian unity, reports.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the signing ceremony. pic.twitter.com/J44Gm9TOLv

— S p r i n t e r (@SprinterFamily) July 23, 2024

The conference lasted two full days, and at its conclusion, a statement to the Arab media read: "The national factions agreed during their meeting in China to achieve comprehensive Palestinian national unity, which will include all Palestinian forces and factions, within the framework of the PLO; and commitment to establishing an independent Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem, in accordance with UN resolutions and ensuring the right of return under Resolution 194."

The declaration comes at a sensitive time, as the war in Gaza rages on into its 10th month and as Israel and Hamas are weighing an internationally backed ceasefire-hostage proposal that would wind down the war and free dozens of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

There are two main possibilities for the significance of the declaration. The first is that this is once again merely a declarative agreement to please the Chinese hosts or the Palestinian public. The second is that the military pressure in the Gaza Strip, to the point of collapse of the organization's military wing, is bringing the Hamas leadership abroad to a more flexible position to make decisions as they see fit.

The agreement also underscored China's attempts to have a growing role in Middle East diplomacy after its success in mediating the restoration of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. "To be sure, China is still in the process of trying to earn credibility as a global mediator," said James Char, a research fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

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At least 250 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel have begun a hunger strike to protest their relocation to isolated cells, officials said Wednesday.

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The hunger strike, led by the Islamic Jihad group, comes amid heightened tensions in Israeli detention facilities following the escape of six prisoners from a high-security prison last month. All six were recaptured within a couple of weeks, but the escape embarrassed Israeli authorities and was hailed as a stroke of defiance by Palestinians.

'It was a mistake, it showed weakness, which damaged the State of #Israel and has triggered the military confrontations with #Hamas since then,' says #EhudOlmert on Gilad Shalit release anniversry#MiddleEastNow pic.twitter.com/CAkmTxKQqz

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) October 18, 2021

Israel is currently holding more than 4,600 Palestinian prisoners.

The prisoners organize themselves by political faction and have secured concessions over the years through hunger strikes and other collective actions.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club, which represents former and current prisoners, said the latest strike is to protest the separation of Islamic Jihad prisoners into designated cells, isolating them from most other members of the group.

Qadura Fares, the head of the organization, said at least 250 Islamic Jihad prisoners in multiple facilities would take part in the strike and that 100 of them would begin refusing water after one week.

He called for protests in support of the prisoners and said other Palestinian factions – including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement – would also participate in the hunger strike.

Israel's prison service said it was unaware of any mass hunger strike. It said it has not isolated the Islamic Jihad prisoners but instead has mixed them with the general population. It said the group was not happy with the move and acknowledged there has been "tension."

Five of the six escapees were Islamic Jihad members, and the terrorist group was the driving force behind rioting that broke out in some prisons as Israel tightened security and relocated prisoners to prevent other breakouts.

Islamic Jihad has carried out scores of deadly attacks over the years.

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Riots broke out across the Judea and Samaria on Wednesday evening and fires broke out at several Israeli prisons amid rising pressure on the government and security forces to find six Palestinian terrorists who escaped a maximum security facility in northern Israel two days earlier.

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Shots were fired at Israeli forces in Ramallah, but no injuries were reported among IDF soldiers.

The Palestinian Red Crescent medical services said that 60 rioters were wounded by tear gas in protests in the Nablus area.

IDF troops fired stun grenades at Palestinian protesters gathered at Damascus Gate in the Old City. The protesters were heard chanting, "Where is Zakaria," a reference to Zakaria Zubeidi, the most notorious of the six Palestinian prisoners who escaped Gilboa prison near Beit Shean on Monday. Reports also came of a bus getting hit by rocks in the city.

The Palestinian Red Crescent also reported violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces in the towns of Beita and Huwara in Judea and Samaria.

The IDF said a general closure of Judea and Samaria, which was supposed to have been lifted Thursday following the Rosh Hashanah holiday, will be extended at least another 24 hours.

The IPS said a fire broke out in two cells in different wings of Ramon Prison and that the blaze was brought under control. Palestinian inmates torched seven cells in Ketziot prison in retaliation for efforts to move them to different locations. Fires were also reported at Ramon and Megiddo prisons. Immediately following the jailbreak, all of the security prisoners at Gilboa prison were relocated and dispersed throughout other prisons in the country.

The Palestinian prisoners group had called on inmates to resist being relocated and to start fires in their cells if guards try to move them by force. The prisoners group also threatened a widespread hunger strike.

Inside the prisons, Fatah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other factions each have an organized presence and appear to be acting together in the wake of the escape.

Meanwhile, blame for Monday's breakout rippled through the prison system and checkpoint closures between Israel and Judea and Samaria were extended into the weekend.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the premier met with the heads of Israel's security services and stressed that the country was ready for "any scenario."

Attending the meeting were Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, the, Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman, Israel Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai, Israel Prisons Service chief Katy Perry, National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat, and other top officials.

"The events have the potential to impact numerous fronts," the statement from the prime minister's spokesperson added, as the IDF bolstered its forces stationed in Judea and Samaria.

Bar-Lev on Thursday morning vowed that "we will get our hands on the escaped terrorists, fix the failures that led to their escape, and to the extent we discover professional negligence, we will handle that, too."

Meanwhile, the Israel Police have reportedly have gained information substantiating suspicions that prison guards helped the terrorists escape Gilboa prison, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

The police investigation is headed by the Lahav 433 Major Crimes Unit and includes investigators from the International Fraud Unit. Police are expected to question two prison guards involved in the case.

According to Bar-Lev, the investigation was also focusing on whether "criminal elements were involved" in the escape.

Monday's escape was Israel's largest jailbreak in decades. The six men who escaped, between 26 and 49 years old, apparently dug a tunnel out of Gilboa prison and escaped early Monday morning.

It poses a potential dilemma for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, whose security forces coordinate with Israel. His Fatah party has praised the prison escape, but he has not commented on it.

Palestinians view prisoners held by Israel as heroes of their national cause and have celebrated the prison break.

Around 500 Palestinians gathered in the cities of Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron and other West Bank locations, some chanting "freedom" and waving Palestinian flags.

"We came out in solidarity with our prisoners in the occupier's jails," said Jihad Abu Adi, 25, as protesters nearby set tires ablaze. "It's the least we could do for our heroic prisoners."

If the escapees are apprehended in the West Bank, many Palestinians are likely to blame the PA, which is already facing a popular backlash after the death of an activist in its custody in June.

MK Aida Touma-Sliman of the Joint Arab List faction, meanwhile, lambasted the security forces' efforts to capture the escaped terrorists and called for an end to the "harassment of political prisoners."

In a Facebook post, the lawmaker warned against "the escalation of oppression and harassment toward Palestinian political prisoners in the jails of the Israeli occupation, and against the grandiose operations in the Arab villages in the Jezreel Valley and Wadi Ara.

"The cruel attacks are revenge for the blow to the arrogance of the occupation – the IPS, Shin Bet, and the defense establishment after six prisoners managed to escape [Gilboa] prison.

"The order of the day is to cease the attacks immediately and to release prisoners charged with opposing the occupation. The only guarantee for security and stability is the end of the occupation and recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people," she wrote.

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A massive manhunt was underway Monday morning after six Palestinian terrorists escaped from a high-security Israeli prison, in what officials described as one of the worst prison breaks in the country's history.

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Large numbers of police forces were called to the area around Gilboa prison, located northwest of Beit Shean,  and were searching for the six fugitives with the help of drones and helicopters. The IDF and Shin Bet security agency were also helping search for the suspects, and checkpoints were put up in the area.

Five of the prisoners belonged to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization and one, Zakaria Zubeidi, was a former commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a terrorist group affiliated with the Fatah faction.

The six were cellmates and tunneled out of Gilboa prison in northern Israel near the city of Beit Shean. They were reported missing around 4 a.m., but may have fled hours earlier.

After apparently entering the prison's drainage network under the sink in their cell, the men exited through another tunnel into a road on the south side of the prison. According to the Israel Prisons Service, the escapees likely exploited a "structural flaw" in the prison's sewerage system.

Credit: Israel Prisons Service

The six were all in jail for life in connection with deadly attacks against Israelis, and all were considered highly dangerous. Three of them had attempted escape in the past.

An unnamed police source told Channel 12 News the incident appeared to be "one of the gravest incidents" in recent memory.

According to Channel 13 News, Israeli security officials believe the six will attempt to flee to either Jordan or the West Bank city of Jenin. Army Radio said the men appeared to have received some outside help.

The IPS said police received reports about suspicious persons traveling in the area of the prison around 3 a.m, adding the escape began around 1:30 a.m.

The men were spotted walking along the road near the prison at around 3 a.m., prompting at least one civilian to call the police.

"I just passed by the prison and I saw some suspicious people walking around. Maybe you should tell them to do a patrol or something," the man told police, according to a recording of the call that was shared on social media.

Army Radio also said 400 prisoners were being moved as a protective measure against any additional escape attempts.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad praised the escape on Monday morning as a "victory over the occupation."

"This is a great heroic act, which will cause a severe shock to the Israeli security system and will constitute a severe blow to the army and the entire system in Israel," added Daoud Shehab, a spokesman for PIJ.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum cast the escape similarly, saying it shows "that the struggle for freedom with the occupier is continuous and extended, inside prisons. and outside to extract this right."

In Jenin, Zubeidi's hometown and perhaps the home of the other escapees as well, celebratory gunfire was heard Monday morning. Residents handed out coffee and sweets to passersby.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Public Security Minister Omer Barlev, who is responsible for both the IPS and the Israel Police, were both informed of the escape and are in constant contact with the relevant officials, their offices said.

Bennett called it a "grave incident" that required maximum effort by Israel's various security branches.

He said he was receiving constant updates on the prison break, which occurred just hours before Israel was to mark the Jewish New Year.

A photo published by Palestinian media shows the IDs of the six suspected escaped prisoners.

Aside from Zubeidi, the other escapees, all from towns and villages near Jenin, were identified by the IPS as Munadil Nafayat, 26, from Yaabad; Mahmoud and Mohammad al-Arida, both from Arraba; Iham Kahamji, 35, from Kufr Dan; and Yaqoub Qadiri, 49, from Deir al-Basha.

An Israel Police spokesperson said there were not currently any security advisories in place for residents of the area following the incident, but urged them to exercise increased vigilance.

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Hamas fired some 120 rockets at Israel between 7 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday, the IDF reported Sunday morning. About 11 of the rockets missed Israel entirely and landed in the Gaza Strip, while Israel's air defenses intercepted several dozen more that were tracking toward populated areas.

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IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman said Sunday that some 130 Hamas terrorists have been killed in IDF strikes since the start of Operation Guardian of the Walls, which entered its seventh day on Sunday.

Zilberman confirmed that the IDF had targeted the homes of senior Hamas leaders in Gaza.

"We attacked the home of Yahya Sinwar in Khan Younis and the home of his brother, who is responsible for personnel and logistics in Hamas. Both homes serve as bases for terrorism. These were only part of the strikes on [Hamas] operatives' homes. Overnight, we also attacked the home of the Zeitoun brigade commander, head of Hamas' research and development," he said.

Israel fights to protect its civilians.
Hamas uses civilians to protect itself. pic.twitter.com/fyohwghFaf

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 16, 2021

Zilberman noted that the focus of Israel's strike had been Hamas leaders; rocket launchers, and continued attacks on Hamas' "Metro" underground tunnel network.

"We will continue to deepen our attacks on Hamas … overnight, we continued our operation against Hamas' tunnel network. We carried out the second stage of the operation to destroy its Metro in the northern and central parts of Gaza. This is a massive attack, although less than Thursday's. There are more stages to come, including a methodical offensive against its attack tunnels. Right now, various officials in the terrorist organization are afraid to go underground – not only leaders, but operatives, as well. No one wants to 'ride' the Metro," Zilberman said.

In addition, he explained, since Friday the IDF had successfully taken out 45 multiple rocket launchers, nearly one per hour. "We are targeting their rocket launchers that propel rockets to a lot of different places in Israel," he said.

According to Zilberman, Hamas and the other terrorist groups in Gaza could fire every hour, but they were not taking into account the need to conserve ammunition.

Early Sunday, Hamas launched a spate of rocket attacks on southern Israel early Sunday following a night of heavy Israeli airstrikes against its infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

Shortly after midnight Saturday, Hamas unleashed dozens of rockets toward central Israel and the coastal plain region, amid threats to aim at Tel Aviv. Overnight Saturday, Israeli Air Force aircraft continued to operate, with one of its strikes targeting a Hamas military intelligence site.

Overnight Saturday, the IDF published a list of the targets the IAF had eradicated throughout the day, as well as some of the senior members of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad who have been confirmed dead since the beginning of Operation Guardian of the Walls.

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Hamas has replenished its arsenal since Operation Protective Edge of 2014 and now has a vast collection of rockets, guided missiles and drones, a senior IDF commander said Thursday.

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According to Israeli military estimates, Hamas has some 7,000 rockets, as well as 300 anti-tank and 100 anti-aircraft missiles.

It also has acquired dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles and has an army of some 30,000 militants, including 400 naval commandos who have received sophisticated training and equipment to carry out seaborne operations, the commander added.

The smaller Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which often acts independently of Hamas, boasts a similar arsenal that includes 6,000 rockets, dozens of drones and anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, and some 400 naval forces.

During Operation Protective Edge, Hamas also made use of attack tunnels beneath the Gaza border. Israel has discovered and destroyed around 20 tunnels since hostilities ended, including a large one last October that was still under construction.

The commander said an underground barrier equipped with sensors to detect tunnels is 99% complete and will cover the entire 37-mile frontier.

Hamas seized control of Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Since then, it has fought three wars with Israel.

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