IDF denies reports of attempted hostage rescue in Khan Younis amid heavy airstrikes, intense clashes

Following reports in Arab and Hebrew media that the Israel Defense Forces had launched a hostage rescue operation during heavy airstrikes in Khan Younis early Monday morning, the military denied that any such operation had taken place..

“The IDF is in the midst of Operation 'Gideon's Chariots' and is operating throughout the Gaza Strip,” read a statement from the IDF. “Following the recent reports, there is no change in the situational assessment.” 

Saudi channel al-Arabiya appeared to be the first news outlet to run the report of about a hostage rescue attempt and the story was quickly picked up by Hebrew news media. 

Videos on social media showed several large airstrikes carried out in quick succession, followed by sounds of heavy gunfire and other explosions. 

IDF special operation reported in Khan Younis, Southern Gaza, initially believed to be targeting hostage extraction near Nasser Hospital an hour ago however this was denied by Israeli officials a short time ago in response to speculation. Internet outages reported in the area.… pic.twitter.com/DSQMS3D7io

— dan linnaeus (@DanLinnaeus) May 19, 2025

Later, the Saudi website reported that Israeli special operations forces had entered Khan Younis in an attempt to capture a high-ranking official from a Palestinian terror group, citing an unnamed Israeli source

Shortly after the report, Palestinian media published images allegedly showing a cart used to transport some of the special op troops into the neighborhood where the attempted capture took place.

عاجل| مصادر محلية: قوة خاصة اسرائيلية تسللت بلباس مدني إلى موقع وسط خانيونس واغتالت شخصا واعتقلت زوجته وأطفاله..

صورة لحقيبة مموهة تركتها القوات الخاصة كانت تحتوي على أسلحة مموهة بأغراض نزوح pic.twitter.com/RpYbvgimxs

— فلسطين بوست (@PalpostN) May 19, 2025

Palestinian media reported that Israeli forces killed Ahmad Sarhan, a senior member of the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and that some of the soldiers were dressed as women.

While it is unclear whether Sarhan was the target of the attempted capture, Palestinian media reported that his wife and children, who were with him, were apprehended by IDF soldiers. 

The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) is the third-largest terrorist organization operating in the Gaza Strip. It was founded by former Fatah fighters who opposed the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) involvement in the Oslo Accords.

Unlike Hamas, PRC supports the creation of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders. In Gaza, the PRC has cooperated with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) to coordinate attacks against Israel and capturing soldiers during conflicts.  

The IDF has not released any statement about the operation nor confirmed Sarhan's death.

According to Al Arabiya, Israeli special forces, who entered disguised as women and carrying bags of displaced persons, attempted to arrest an official in the Qassam Brigades [Hamas] after receiving intelligence that he had emerged from the tunnels.

The operation was reportedly carried out based on intelligence suggesting that Sarhan might be holding hostages or had knowledge of their exact locations. Once it became clear that no hostages were present, the soldiers withdrew from the area.

Palestinian sources reported that during fighting on Monday morning, the IDF killed the commander of the Hamas forces in Khan Younis, Mahdi Kawara, known as Abu Ahmed. Those reports came after the IDF significantly expanded its ground operations in Gaza on Sunday, while Israeli negotiators were meeting in Qatar. 

The Israeli government has already declared that any negotiations for a new hostage-ceasefire deal will be carried out “under fire.” 

IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin said the IDF would dissect Gaza and evacuate the civilian population as part of its Operation Gideon’s Chariots.

“We will expand operational control in the Gaza Strip while dissecting the Strip and evacuating the population in all the places where we operate,” Defrin said in a televised statement. 

The IDF spokesman reiterated that the military would not disclose detailed information about its activities during Operation Gideon’s Chariots.

“Ambiguity is a method,” he stated, “we will not share our plans with Hamas.” 

A Walla news report claimed that some 400,000 Palestinians have already been evacuated from northern Gaza ahead of increased IDF activity. 

Sources in the IDF Southern Command told the news site, “There is a very great effort to establish the humanitarian aid centers in the southern Gaza Strip.” 

Later in the day on Monday, IDF Arabic Spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee issued a warning for residents of Khan Younis to evacuate westward to al-Muwasi, saying that terror activity in the area meant the IDF would soon be operating there.

"The IDF will launch an unprecedented attack to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations in this area," Adraee posted to 𝕏. "You must evacuate immediately west to the Mawasi area."

#عاجل ‼️ الى سكان محافظة خان يونس، بني سهيلا وعبسان
⭕️جيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي سوف يشن هجوماً غير مسبوق لتدمير قدرات المنظمات الإرهابية في هذه المنطقة
⭕️عليكم الأخلاء فوراً غرباً الى منطقة المواصي⭕️
⭕️من هذه اللحظة، ستعتبر محافظة خانيونس منطقة قتال خطيرة
⭕️المنظمات الإرهابية جلبت… pic.twitter.com/1yqOLDVTKK

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) May 19, 2025

"From this moment, Khan Yunis Governorate will be considered a dangerous combat zone," he continued. "Terrorist organizations have brought you disaster. For your safety, evacuate immediately."

On Sunday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the renewed ground campaign in a video posted on 𝕏.

“As we promised, we have launched a massive campaign against Hamas, Gideon’s Chariots,” Netanyahu said. “IDF troops are entering the Strip by force with a dual mission: to defeat Hamas and to rescue our hostages – two goals that are intertwined.” 

Netanyahu also stated that Israel’s strikes on the Houthis in Yemen would continue. “It’s not over. There will be an exchange of blows, but they already feel – and will continue to feel – the strength of our arm.”