Hamas: Palestinians aided Israeli commandos in botched Gaza operation

On November 11, Lt.-Col. M. was killed and another Israeli soldier was moderately wounded in a firefight between an IDF mission and Hamas operatives in the southern Gaza Strip.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Updated: NOVEMBER 30, 2018 03:48
Militants of the Al-Nasser Saladin Brigades stand guard outside a hospital morgue before the funeral of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli fire, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 12, 2018 (photo credit: REUTERS/SUHAIB SALEM)
Militants of the Al-Nasser Saladin Brigades stand guard outside a hospital morgue before the funeral of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli fire, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 12, 2018
(photo credit: REUTERS/SUHAIB SALEM)
Hamas has uncovered critical information about a botched IDF operation in Gaza on November 11 that left one officer dead, according to a report in the Lebanese Al-Akhbar.
The report states that Israeli soldiers entered Gaza multiple times before the operation through the Kerem Shalom crossing, the Palestinian side of which is under the control of the Palestinian Authority, in order to install listening devices aimed at Hamas’s communications network. In one instance, the commandos were disguised as workers for a Palestinian telecommunications company and installed the surveillance equipment east of Gaza city.
Before their final operation, the Israeli soldiers entered Gaza through the Erez checkpoint using false identities.
While Israel launched dozens of rockets at the vehicle used by the commandos before its capture, according to the report Hamas was nevertheless able to extract important information about the unit’s operations from the destroyed car.
Al-Akhbar also reported that Palestinians inside Gaza helped the Israeli team.
Lt.-Col. M was killed and another IDF soldier moderately wounded in a firefight in Khan Yunis between the commandos and Hamas operatives.
Hamas recently released photos of individuals whom it claimed were members of the IDG commando team. In an irregular public statement, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit and the Military Censor asked the public to refrain from posting the pictures on social media so as not to aid Hamas.
“Hamas is currently trying to decipher and understand the incident that took place deep inside Gaza (11/11) and any piece of information, even if it is considered harmless by those publishing it, is liable to endanger human lives and harm state security,” the IDF said.
Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.