The Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in the Zeitun neighborhood located in the south of Gaza City, where the IDF has already operated in earlier stages of the fighting, was evacuated during the night.
The overall question the Shejaia experience raises is whether this will become another Jabalya or if more will be accomplished.
The IDF has now had to return to northern Gaza with large forces twice: once in mid-March to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, and the second time to Jabalya.
In central Rafah, troops found tunnel shafts, weapons, and rocket launchers. In addition, forces destroyed a Hamas weapons storage facility.
Seven hostages were rescued from the now-destroyed tunnel, including Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, Ron Benjamin, Yitzchak Gelernter, Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez.
Hamas used the tunnel, which passed near the area in which are stationed IDF troops, the military stated.
The Hamas armed wing spokesman did not say how many soldiers had been abducted and showed no proof of the claim.
While the IDF operates in the north and south of the enclave, a Ynet report stated that Netanyahu delayed the operation in the north due to pressure from Bezalel Smotrich.
How the IDF's 98th Division faces the challenges of clearing terrorists from this key north Gaza neighborhood, and what it has learned from seven months of war.