IDF Announces Defeat of Hamas Battalion in Beit Hanoun as Aid Operations Continue in Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Saturday that it has defeated Hamas’s Beit Hanoun battalion in northern Gaza, following the surrender of three operatives to Givati Brigade troops. According to the IDF, the men emerged from a tunnel and indicated they had attempted to flee after another gunman was killed in an earlier exchange of fire. The operatives reportedly directed troops to a nearby weapons depot, and the military said it found additional supplies in the tunnel, suggesting it was prepared for long-term use. The three were taken for further questioning, and the tunnel is being mapped for demolition.

A statement from the IDF described the Beit Hanoun Battalion as a threat to nearby Israeli communities and said it had now been neutralized. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz shared footage of the surrender, stating on social media that Hamas fighters were emerging from tunnels in a devastated city and that the IDF was targeting both surface and underground infrastructure to protect Israeli towns.

The IDF has conducted multiple operations in Beit Hanoun since the war began, gradually reducing the battalion, which previously numbered over 1,000 fighters. Most members were reported killed or fled, including the battalion commander. The military’s announcement came as Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly urged government ministers to clarify their strategy amid a lack of progress in hostage negotiations and growing diplomatic pressure over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Zamir told troops he expected to know soon whether a partial deal to release hostages could be reached, warning that fighting would continue if not.

Meanwhile, hospitals in Gaza reported that more than a dozen people, including eight seeking food, were killed by Israeli fire near aid distribution sites. Witnesses described chaotic scenes at these locations, but the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which operates some of the sites, stated that nothing had occurred at or near their facilities in response to questions about the violence.

In an effort to increase humanitarian aid, the IDF reported the largest airdrop operation to date, with 126 packages of supplies delivered by aircraft from six countries, including Spain, Germany, and France for the first time in over a year. Additional airdrops followed, coordinated with international partners. The IDF said these actions are part of ongoing efforts to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza and to counter claims of deliberate starvation.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, resulting in about 1,200 deaths and 251 kidnappings. According to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, more than 60,000 people have been killed or are presumed dead in Gaza, though the figures cannot be independently verified. Israel states it has killed approximately 20,000 combatants in Gaza and maintains that it seeks to minimize civilian casualties, accusing Hamas of operating from civilian areas.