The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out an airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, targeting a commander from the Hamas group. According to the Israeli military, he was planning attacks on troops operating in the area. The strike marks the first recorded Israeli air operation in the enclave in over a week.
The military reported that precision munitions and aerial surveillance were used during the operation to minimize risks to the civilian population. The IDF noted that Southern Command units remain deployed in the region in accordance with existing agreements and intend to continue acting to neutralize any immediate threats.
Over the past week, Israel scaled back major strikes on the Gaza Strip under pressure from Washington, which is promoting US President Donald Trump's plan to end the military conflict. A source familiar with the Israeli position indicated that the army shifted to responding solely to direct threats and temporarily halted near-daily targeted eliminations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected the 15-point plan proposed by the US-led Peace Council, stating that Israeli forces would not leave the enclave until Hamas is fully disarmed. In response, Nickolay Mladenov, Director-General and High Representative of the Peace Council for the Gaza Strip, clarified that the roadmap does not envision an IDF withdrawal behind the "Yellow Line" until the disarmament of Hamas is verified component-by-component under international oversight led by the US.
Additionally, on Wednesday, Nickolay Mladenov denied reports of an alleged financial agreement between the international body and Hamas. In a Hebrew post on the social network X, he emphasized that such terms were never discussed or considered. He assured that the group would not be allowed to govern the Gaza Strip or gain access to Peace Council funds.
Mladenov noted that Israel is not required to take irreversible steps or rely on trust prior to actual on-the-ground verifications. According to him, the key objective remains the elimination of weaponry and preventing a recurrence of the threats Israel faced on October 7.
The Peace Council representative added that alternative scenarios are either Hamas remaining in power with the subsequent restoration of its military capability, or a full restoration of Israeli control over the Gaza Strip accompanied by immense costs. The proposed international plan is positioned as a third way, involving disarmament, civil administration, and the presence of US-monitored security forces.
Source: jns.org
