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Israel army says Hamas rule in Gaza ‘weakening’; reported video of gunmen surrender surfaces
The footage shows a man moving slowly near a tank, carrying the gun and magazine above his head before setting them down.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday that the Hamas militant rule in the Gaza region is “beginning to collapse”. They reportedly shared a video showing an apparent Hamas operative handing over an assault rifle while surrendering with dozens of Palestinian men to Israeli troops, according to a report from Times of Israel.
“I see the achievements every day. We are seeing every day more and more terror operatives killed, more and more terror operatives wounded, and in recent days we’re seeing terrorists surrendering — a sign of the disintegration of the system, a sign that we need to push harder,” Times of Israel quoted IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi as saying.
The footage shows a man moving slowly near a tank, carrying the gun and magazine above his head before setting them down. Nearby, other Palestinians in their underwear display their ID cards while positioned across the street from the tank. A soldier issues instructions in Arabic using a megaphone.
“In Shejaiya and Jabaliya, terrorists who surrendered handed over weapons and equipment,” IDF official said confirming the leaked video.
On Saturday, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar fled northern Gaza at the beginning of the war by hiding in a humanitarian convoy heading southward, the Times of Israel report said citing Kan public broadcaster. The report further said Sinwar fled Gaza City and headed toward south Gaza’s Khan Younis in a vehicle that provided “humanitarian cover”. More precise details about the vehicle were barred from publication, according to the broadcaster. The report also said Israel assessed that Sinwar was still in Khan Younis, or rather in one of the tunnels that run underneath it.
The Times of Israel reported that IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari confirmed a significant number of Hamas members surrendered to troops in Gaza, revealing valuable intelligence information about the terror group's operations during the ground assault
“From the interrogations of the terrorists who surrendered, the following intelligence has emerged: The situation of the operatives on the ground is difficult, and the Hamas leadership, led by [Yahya] Sinwar, denies the reality even though it is updated on the details,” Hagari said.
“The operatives complain that the Hamas leadership is out of touch with the tough situation they are in on the ground,” he added.
Hagari said there was a “widespread feeling that the Hamas leadership underground does not care about the public in Gaza who are above ground,” adding that this also worries the Hamas operatives.
“The intelligence that emerges from the interrogations creates more targets and aids us in the operational activity,” Hagari added.
Meanwhile, members of the war cabinet met on Saturday night for talks on the continued fighting in Gaza, along with whether to again allow Palestinian workers into Israel after they were barred in wake of the Hamas-led October 7 onslaught in which terrorists killed some 1,200 people and took around 240 hostage.
