Israel Conducts Air Strikes On Al-Ansar Mosque In Jenin

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Sunday claimed that Israel had carried out an aerial strike at the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist compound in the Al-Ansar Mosque in Jenin.

The Israel Defence Forces, on X, said that the recent IDF intel revealed that the Mosque was used as a command centre to plan and carry out terrorist attacks against civilians. In a post, the IDF stated, "The IDF & ISA just conducted an aerial strike on a Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist compound in the Al-Ansar Mosque in Jenin. Recent IDF intel revealed that the Mosque was used as a command center to plan and execute terrorist attacks against civilians."

Further, the IDF claimed that its soldiers hit a terrorist cell trying to launch anti-tank missiles towards northern Israel. "Hamas wants the world to believe that they are a humanitarian organization. Don't fall for their trap," the IDF said in another post.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, in the video posted by IDF, said, "Hamas in the past 24 hours, as well as the days before, but especially in the last 24 hours has been trying to present itself as a humanitarian organization to the world after the release of the two hostages yesterday. The world cannot forget Hamas is worse than ISIS."

The Israeli Air Force claimed that Hamas uses civilians in the Gaza Strip as shields and fires rockets from civilian infrastructure.

The Israeli Air Force said, "The Hamas terrorist organization uses the residents of the Gaza Strip as human shields, and launches rockets from civilian infrastructure, areas and buildings in the Gaza Strip."

Since October 7, the IDF has identified about 550 failed launches fired by Hamas that landed in Gaza.

"The Hamas terrorist organization launches rockets from civilian infrastructure, areas and buildings in Gaza, injuring their own civilians." it added.

On Saturday, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that it will increase airstrikes on Gaza from (Saturday). In a press meet, he said, "We will increase our strikes, minimize the risk to our troops in the next stages of the war, and we will intensify the strikes, starting from today."

When questioned about whether Israel had ceased its ground operation in Gaza under pressure from the US, Hagari clarified that Israeli forces would initiate ground operations when the military conditions were ideal. He also noted that the IDF had continued to conduct airstrikes over the previous day, as reported by CNN.

"Our main effort in Gaza is to eliminate the terrorists, and especially those involved in the massacre on Saturday two weeks ago," he said. He further said, "We continue to destroy terror targets ahead of the next stage of the war, and are focusing on our readiness to the next stage."

Two weeks after Hamas launched its surprise attack on southern Israel, the first 20 aid trucks entered Gaza on Saturday via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

"As of now, I can tell you that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. There are hardships in moving people within days to the south of the Gaza Strip, but the population is getting along," The Times Of Israel quoted an Israeli security official as saying.