TEL AVIV: Israeli forces continued their operations in Gaza City's Zeitoun district, eliminating Hamas terror squads, seizing weapons and destroying tunnel shafts, the Israel Defence Forces said on Thursday morning. Two terror squads that fired on troops were identified and an aircraft was directed to eliminate both.

In addition, three terrorists using drones were identified entering a nearby compound. Ground forces directed an airstrike on the compound. Afterward, five rocket launching pits were discovered.

Troops also directed an additional aircraft to strike another terror operative.

In central Gaza, soldiers killed several terrorists and located weapons over the past day.

During one incident, a terror squad spotted approaching Israeli ground forces was eliminated in an airstrike.

Soldiers in Khan Yunis killed several terrorists and dismantled terrorist infrastructure in the area.

In one incident, the ground forces directed an airstrike on five armed terrorists. A separate airstrike in Khan Yunis killed four terrorists trying to plant explosives.

At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7.

Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead.