Israeli forces conducted a rare daytime raid in Gaza on Tuesday, capturing a senior Hamas official and killing at least four people, including two children, according to Palestinian authorities. The Israeli government identified the captive as the head of Hamas’s internal security force, though the individual’s name was not initially disclosed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the capture but did not provide further details about the operation. Hamas later identified the detainee as Moeen al-Arabeed and reported that his wife was killed during the raid. The group condemned the operation as a violation of the cease-fire agreement that has been in place since October and lodged a formal protest with Nikolay Mladenov, a representative of the international body overseeing the truce.
According to the Israeli military, special forces affiliated with the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, carried out the raid targeting a building in Gaza City. Details about the operation remain limited, and the military declined to address reports suggesting the deaths of children in the incident.
Hamas officials said covert Israeli operatives entered Gaza City but were detected, prompting Israeli forces to launch bombardments to cover their withdrawal. The Israeli military stated it struck "several targets" inside Gaza to protect troops on the ground. A resident of Gaza City, Mohammad Abu Aisha, described hearing gunfire and seeing a vehicle hit during the attack.
The Gaza Civil Defense rescue service reported four fatalities resulting from the raid, including two minors. Mohammad Abu Salmiya, director of Gaza City’s Al Shifa Hospital, confirmed the arrival of casualties from the incident. Ismail Thawabteh, a spokesman for Gaza’s Hamas-led government, said it was unclear whether Israeli forces operated independently or cooperated with Israeli-backed Palestinian militias, a claim the Israeli military declined to comment on.
The operation comes more than ten months after a cease-fire was brokered under the Trump administration, intended to halt hostilities between Israel and Hamas after nearly two years of conflict. Despite the truce, Israeli military activity in Gaza has continued near daily, with tensions often resembling active warfare rather than peace.
As part of the cease-fire terms, Israeli forces withdrew to a designated line within Gaza but still maintain control over more than half of the territory. The raid highlights the fragile nature of the cease-fire and ongoing security challenges in the region.