Israel Defence Forces capture major Hamas stronghold in Gaza It can turn the tide on the battlefield

The Israel Defence Forces reported the capture of an important stronghold of militants of the Palestinian radical organisation Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to The Jerusalem Post, soldiers of the Givati Brigade took control of the base, where they found a large number of operational maps, and command documents, including personal details of current commanders of the terrorist organisation. The captured documents and intelligence could be crucial to the IDF's success in the battle against Hamas terrorists, the Israel Defence Forces Press Service indicated.

Moreover, the Israeli military has killed 10 high-ranking commanders of the armed formations of the Palestinian radical organisation Hamas since the beginning of the operation in the Gaza Strip.

"We pursue and destroy Hamas field commanders on the ground and underground. Since the beginning of hostilities, together with the General Security Service, we have eliminated 10 Hamas terrorists whose rank corresponds to a brigade commander. These are combat leaders who command on the ground in battles against our forces," Israel Defence Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

According to Hagari, the eliminated commanders were involved in planning the attack on Israeli territory on October 7 and carried out the plans with their squads.

Overnight, IDF bombed a school building in the Gaza Strip that housed a refugee shelter.

As a result of the strike on the school established by the UN Office of Osama bin Zayed in the area of Al-Saftawi in the north of Gaza dozens of people were killed. It is claimed that the bombing of the civilian object was carried out purposefully.

The Al-Qahira ai-Ihbariya TV channel said at least 50 people were injured. The school building was occupied by Palestinians forced to flee their homes due to escalating tensions in the enclave.

Israel also has claimed responsibility for an attack on an ambulance outside Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in the enclave, which witnesses say killed and wounded dozens of people.

At least 15 people were killed and 50 others wounded, the Hamas-run health authorities said Friday. Footage from the scene showed at least a dozen bloodied casualties strewn across the ground near an ambulance. There appears to be some shrapnel damage to at least one of the cars on the scene.

Israel said it had targeted the ambulance because it was being used by Hamas, according to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). “An IDF aircraft struck an ambulance that was identified by forces as being used by a Hamas terrorist cell in close proximity to their position in the battle zone,” it wrote.

The ambulance strike prompted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to reiterate his calls for a cessation of fire on Gaza, something Israel has rejected.

“I am horrified by the reported attack in Gaza on an ambulance convoy outside Al Shifa hospital,” Guterres said in a statement.

In his statement on the ambulance strike, Guterres also called attention to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“The humanitarian situation in Gaza is horrific. Not nearly enough food, water and medicine are coming in to meet people’s needs. Fuel to power hospitals and water plants is running out,” he said.

Meanwhile, Honduras recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv. It became the latest Latin American country to recall its ambassador to Israel for consultations as it condemned what it called genocide and other serious violations of international law in the Gaza Strip.