IDF strikes Hamas terror cell in Khan Yunis, second attack in two days since Gaza deal pause

The Israeli Air Force conducted an airstrike on a Hamas terror cell in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on Thursday, marking the second "attack of choice" in as many days since a pause in such operations began following a US-Hamas deal in late July. IDF sources reported that the targeted cell, though not considered highly senior, was actively planning and preparing to carry out an operation against the IDF.

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The cell was not extremely senior, but was in the process of planning and shortly carrying out an operation against the IDF.

According to these sources, the IDF has halted attacks on Hamas members involved in the October 7 invasion and other strategic assets or leaders since the US-Hamas agreement. However, the military continues to target operatives identified as being in the process of planning attacks. This policy extends to intercepting terrorists mid-action, before an attack is imminent, to ensure the ability to thwart threats.

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Since the US-Hamas deal, the IDF has halted attacks on Hamas members who were involved in the October 7 invasion and on other strategic Hamas assets or leaders, but it is still carrying out attacks against operatives who it knows are moving toward an attack.

Unlike operations in the West Bank, where the IDF and Shin Bet typically arrest terror plotters, airstrikes remain the preferred method in Gaza due to the IDF's current limitations in operating within Hamas-controlled areas. The IDF also continues to engage and neutralize Hamas fighters who approach the border dividing Israeli-controlled and Hamas-controlled portions of Gaza.

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This means that the IDF is even willing to attack such terrorists midstream and before the attack is imminent so as not to incidentally miss the ability to thwart the attack.

Wednesday's strike was the first preemptive attack against a Hamas official since the late July deal, which stipulated partial Hamas disarmament in exchange for partial IDF withdrawals from Gaza. The US had implicitly encouraged Israel to cease attacks on Gaza following this deal, a directive Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed. While there were limited instances of the IDF engaging Hamas fighters near the border who posed an immediate threat, assassinations of officials not posing an imminent danger had largely ceased. The strike on the cell commander in northern Gaza, who was not near the border and posed no immediate threat, was justified by the IDF as being due to his planning of future terror attacks. No public condemnation of this strike was issued by the US.

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Unlike the West Bank, where the IDF and Shin Bet tend to arrest such terror plotters, due to the IDF's current inability to go in and out of areas controlled by Hamas in Gaza, airstrikes will still be the preferred tool.