Day 47: IDF attempts to use remaining time before ceasefire to reinforce positions and destroy Hamas infrastructure in northern Gaza

Israeli military continues to expose and destroy tunnel systems in the northern Gaza Strip

With the temporary ceasefire as part of the hostage release set to begin on Thursday morning, the IDF is using the remaining time to strike several Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Overnight, the IDF struck several positions used by the Hamas terror organization to fire upon IDF soldiers. These positions were in residential buildings.

The IDF continued to operate in the Jabalya neighborhood, where several Hamas strongholds were found in the previous days. During the raids, Hamas spotters in the area were identified and destroyed.

Since the beginning of the ground operation, IDF soldiers have exposed and destroyed approximately 400 terror tunnel shafts in the northern Gaza Strip.

The Yahalom special forces unit of the Combat Engineering Corps has played a significant role in exposing and destroying these tunnel shafts.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, the IDF's Givati Brigade fighters raided Hamas’ northern headquarters in the prestigious Sheikh Zayed neighborhood, where many senior Hamas figures live, the IDF spokesman reported. During the operation, the forces located a number of shafts, including a strategic shaft 50 meters (164 ft) deep and 7 meters (23 ft) wide.

At the headquarters, Israeli forces discovered a model resembling an IDF armored vehicle, a wall resembling the border fence, rocket launch sites, a lathe for manufacturing rockets, and large quantities of weapons.

Several terrorists were killed during the clashes to capture the outpost, which was demolished by IDF engineering forces.

Near the outpost, soldiers found a vehicle with weapons in a mosque that had apparently been in the Oct. 7 raids.

The IDF is expected to cease all active fire activities by 7 a.m., with a full ceasefire in effect beginning at 10 a.m.

Throughout the day, there were several rocket launches toward Israel’s southern border communities. While air raid sirens were activated, no impacts or injuries were reported.

Over 10,500 rockets have crossed into Israel since the start of hostilities on Oct. 7.

This evening, Israeli Mossad Director David Barnea is expected to receive a list of the first 10 captives to be released in Qatar, where he arrived this afternoon, along with Maj.-Gen. (res) Nitzan Alon, the IDF's head of hostages.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also holding a press briefing this evening with War Cabinet member Benny Gantz at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv.