The ongoing IDF operation in Gaza continues to unfortunately claim lives of heroic soldiers. Over the past day, the deaths of Staff Sergeant Ido Shamia, Major Dvir Zion Revach, and Captain Eitan Shaknazi were announced. All three soldiers were killed in Beit Hanoun, located in northern Gaza. Tragically, 43 soldiers in total have fallen in northern Gaza over the past few months.
Today (Tuesday), after three months of intense fighting, forces from the Kfir Brigade, under the command of the 162nd Division, completed their mission in northern Gaza. During the operation, numerous terrorists – including some involved in the October 7th massacre – were neutralized both by air and in close combat. The forces also discovered weapon caches, destroyed underground tunnels, and dismantled Hamas infrastructure.
Military correspondent Doron Kadosh reported that the extensive operation led by the division aims to create a safe zone for Israeli border residents, and thoroughly cleanse the area of militants and terror infrastructure, making it significantly harder for militants to reestablish themselves there in the future.
Kfir Brigade Operations in Kfar Hanoun
“Implementing Strategies Not Used in Past Operations”
Senior officers involved in the operation describe it as unprecedented in scope. “We are taking actions we haven’t taken in previous operations,” they noted, adding that troops are reaching areas the IDF aims to never have to return to. “This is not just a raid — it’s the complete destruction of the enemy and its infrastructure.”
The IDF reported that during the operation, forces engaged in several areas that posed threats to both Israeli forces and border communities. These areas included Beit Lahia, the terrorist hub in Beit Hanoun’s Azbat neighborhood (known as “the officers’ neighborhood”), and Sheikh Zayed.
The Heavy Cost of the Campaign
The military campaign in northern Gaza has now exceeded three months, and has come at a heavy cost. However, the IDF remains resolute in its commitment to this essential mission, explaining that “clearing out enemy infrastructure above and below ground takes time, as this is a complex terrorist system constructed over years. This operation could take several more months.”
Military officials fully acknowledge that militants may attempt to return in the future, but the forces are working to make that as difficult as possible.
“They Use Every Explosive Possible as a Weapon Against Us”
The IDF is currently battling two types of enemies: experienced militants from Hamas’s military wing, and newly recruited fighters who were recently trained. It has also emerged that some of the weapons being used include unexploded Israeli munitions, which enemy militants repurpose into makeshift weapons. “We’re seeing a lot of improvisations — they try to use every explosive they find against us.”
