Israel discovers Hamas bomb belts adapted for children

Tel Aviv [Israel], December 24 (ANI/TPS): The Israeli military struck 200 terror infrastructure targets in Gaza over the past 24 hours and seized weapons belonging to Hamas, the Israel Defence Forces said on Sunday.

Among the facilities was a building in northern Gaza where civilians were staying that contained a Hamas weapons complex. Soldiers found explosive belts adapted for children, dozens of explosives, hundreds of grenades and intelligence documents, the IDF said. The weapons complex was located in close proximity to schools, a clinic and a mosque.

Briefing reporters on Saturday night, IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari disclosed that Israeli forces destroyed and seized approximately 30,000 explosive devices, including anti-tank missiles and rockets, that were in Hamas’ possession over the course of the ground war.

“There is an immense amount of weaponry in Gaza; some, as happened today, is found in schools. During our current operation in Daraj-Tufah, we scanned schools and found weapons, including a significant amount of rockets and equipment belonging to Hamas’s naval commando unit. We seize the weapons, neutralising Hamas’ terrorism capabilities,” Hagari said.

During a separate operation in the northern Gaza Strip, soldiers identified a number of terrorists coming out of a military structure where Hamas had placed observation devices. The forces directed an air strike on the building, eliminating the terror squad.

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.