IDF hits 90 Hamas targets in 2 days: DM Katz threatens to ‘intensify activity further’ if Hamas refuses hostage deal

Despite the Passover holiday, the Israeli military continued its operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, with explosions widely heard across southern and central Israel throughout the holiday period.

During the past 48 hours, the Israeli Air Force struck over 90 terror targets belonging to terrorist organizations throughout the Gaza Strip, the military announced on Sunday.

In addition to routine operations, Israel Defense Forces eliminated high-ranking terror commanders, destroyed a tunnel route over one kilometer in length, and struck a command center embedded in Al Ahli Hospital.

⚠️BREAKING: The IDF has seized the Morag Corridor, completely surrounding Rafah. Israel’s buffer zone will soon stretch from Egypt’s border to Khan Yunis, over 5km strong, with the entire city of Rafah conquered by Israel. Israel’s done playing games. We’re moving at full speed. pic.twitter.com/uN5EGP0RjY

— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) April 12, 2025

On Saturday, the IDF announced the completion of the encirclement of the southern city of Rafah, as its troops now control the newly established Morag Corridor, which cuts between the cities of Rafah and Khan Younis.

“Hundreds of thousands of residents have already evacuated and tens of percent of Gaza's territory has become part of Israel's security zones,” Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Sunday evening.

“The main goal is to exert heavy pressure on Hamas in favor of returning to the outline of releasing the hostages – and the more Hamas persists in its refusal, the more IDF activity will intensify,” Katz warned.

In the southern part of the Strip, including the Morag Corridor and the Rafah area, Israeli troops located and dismantled weapons, terrorist infrastructure and tunnel shafts.

The IDF announces that it has completed capturing the Morag Corridor in the southern Gaza Strip, cutting off the city of Rafah from Khan Younis.

Rafah is now completely surrounded by the military, with the 36th Division holding the Morag Corridor, and the Gaza Division operating… pic.twitter.com/yozLxbngLD

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) April 12, 2025

The IDF also recently intensified operations in the central part of the coastal enclave.

The army announced just before Katz’ statement that it had eliminated the deputy head of a Hamas sniper cell in the area of Deir Al Balah. “The terrorist was struck in his vehicle and was eliminated,” the military stated.

Overnight, the IDF struck a command and control center that “served as a terror infrastructure for terrorists” in central Gaza.

“The compound contained a weapons storage facility where explosive devices were located that were used by Hamas terrorists to carry out terror attacks against IDF troops,” said the IDF.

Israeli troops are also active in northern Gaza, where forces “struck and dismantled terrorist infrastructure and tunnel shafts, and during an airstrike eliminated several terrorists who attempted to plant an explosive device in the ground.”

⭕️ IDF troops identified and dismantled a 1.2 kilometer-long underground terrorist route in northern Gaza

A weapons storage facility was located near the route, containing a stockpile of around 20 explosive devices and an anti-tank guided missile amongst other weapons.

In swift… pic.twitter.com/Sws8sd5dSa

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 13, 2025

As part of the operations, troops of the Northern Gaza Brigade under the 252nd Division, and the elite Yahalom Unit dismantled a significant underground tunnel route.

The tunnel was “approximately 1.2 kilometers long and 20 meters deep. In addition, brigade troops located a weapons storage facility near the route, containing a stockpile of around 20 explosive devices, an anti-tank guided missile, and other weapons intended for use against our troops.”

The IDF and the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet also conducted a joint strike on “a command and control center used by Hamas in the Al Ahli Hospital,” in northern Gaza.

⭕DISMANTLED: Hamas Command and Control Center 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 Al Ahli Hospital

The compound was used by Hamas terrorists to plan and execute terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops.

Despite the IDF repeatedly stating that military activity within medical… pic.twitter.com/KzqKhIpTBt

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 13, 2025

“The compound was used by Hamas terrorists to plan and execute terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” the military reported, stressing that before strike, “steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians or to the hospital compound, including issuing advanced warnings in the area of the terror infrastructure, the use of precise munitions, and aerial surveillance.”

“The Hamas terrorist organization systematically violates international law while using civilian infrastructure, brutally exploiting the civilian population as a human shield for its terrorist activities. The IDF has repeatedly stated that military activity within medical facilities in Gaza must cease,” the military stated.

Overall, the Israeli Air Force struck some 90 targets across the Gaza Strip, including “the infrastructure from which projectiles were launched yesterday (Saturday),” as well as various “weapons storage facilities, terrorist cells and terrorist infrastructure.”