“Conducted precise strikes on Hamas terrorists planning to hijack Gaza aid trucks”: Israel Defense Forces

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday said that they conducted precise strikes on armed Hamas terrorists in southern Gaza based on intelligence indicating plans to hijack humanitarian aid trucks.

The operation targeted terrorists operating on the humanitarian corridor to ensure the safe delivery of aid to civilians in Gaza while preventing Hamas from diverting supplies for terrorist activities, the IDF said.

Sharing a post on X, the IDF wrote, “Following intelligence based information indicating the presence of Hamas terrorists, the IDF conducted precise strikes on armed Hamas terrorists gathered at two different meeting points in southern Gaza. The terrorists operated on the humanitarian corridor. The strike was intended to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.”

“All of the terrorists eliminated, were members of Hamas and planned to violently hijack humanitarian aid trucks and transfer them to Hamas in support of continuing terrorist activity, preventing them from reaching Gazan civilians, as was done in previous cases,” the post added.

The IDF further emphasised that the humanitarian corridor remains open and operational, and reaffirmed their commitment to international law and minimizing harm to civilians.

“We emphasize that the IDF does not strike humanitarian aid trucks and the humanitarian corridor remains open and active. The IDF continues to precisely operate against the Hamas terrorist organization and takes every measure to mitigate harm to uninvolved civilians, and alongside @cogatonline, will continue to act in accordance with international law to enable and facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid to the civilians of Gaza,” the IDF said.

Earlier in the day, Israel attacked Palestinian security guards escorting a humanitarian aid shipment in the Gaza Strip where at least 12 people died and several more were injured, Al Jazeera reported.

A video clip shared by local Palestinian media in Gaza showed bodies stacked in a morgue that were reported to be the aid convoy’s security personnel who were targeted west of Khan Younis on Thursday.

The attack was latest in line by Israeli forces on humanitarian aid workers, convoys and those trying to assist the safe entry of food and other supplies into war-torn Gaza.

Gaza is reeling under food shortages and fears of famine in the north of the territory, where an Israeli military ground operation and siege have been ongoing for several weeks, as per Al Jazeera.