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IDF troops are continuing operations across the Gaza Strip, focusing on dismantling terror infrastructure and eliminating armed operatives.

By Charles Bybelezer, JNS

Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, met on Friday with former Hamas captives Romi Gonen, Liri Albag, Omer Shem Tov and Sasha Trufanov.

The general wanted to hear firsthand accounts of their captivity and to reaffirm the military’s commitment to securing the release of those still held by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza.

“I wanted to hear directly from you about your experiences during the time you were held hostage, while IDF soldiers were operating nearby,” Zamir said. “The hardships you endured were severe, and yet you radiate strength and resilience that deserves deep respect.

“The return of the hostages and their protection are constantly on our minds—we will continue to act in every possible way to achieve the goals of the war: to return all the captives home and to defeat the Hamas terrorist organization,” he added.

Underground Hamas facility exposed in Rafah

IDF troops are continuing operations across the Gaza Strip, focusing on dismantling terror infrastructure and eliminating armed operatives.

On Friday, soldiers in northern Gaza identified and neutralized two armed terrorists who approached their position and posed an immediate threat.

Simultaneously, forces operating near southern Gaza’s Rafah and along the Morag Corridor attacked a booby-trapped compound used by several terrorists.

In Rafah, the IDF’s Golani Infantry Brigade has been actively clearing threats for two months, neutralizing more than 1,000 structures, uncovering dozens of tunnel shafts, and eliminating many terrorists.

Troops from the brigade have also been operating in the Jenina neighborhood—the last known stronghold of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade—where combat operations remain ongoing.

According to the IDF, the 36th “Ga’ash” Division, which includes the Golani Brigade, is prepared to expand its operations to additional areas in the coming days.

Meanwhile, during activity conducted by the IDF’s 188th “Barak” Armored Brigade in the Rafah area, several Hamas terrorists surrendered and were interrogated by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet).

The interrogations led to the discovery of significant underground terrorist infrastructure in Rafah’s Shabura neighborhood.

The facility, located approximately 25 meters underground and stretching nearly one kilometer, was used as an operational center by senior Hamas terrorists.

According to the IDF, the underground complex included living quarters, bathrooms, a small kitchen, blast-proof doors and exit shafts.

Yahalom special forces engineers, together with other IDF units under the command of the 188th Brigade, conducted a targeted operation to uncover and dismantle the site.

Troops also discovered additional weapons and military equipment in nearby terrorist facilities, all of which were subsequently neutralized.

Targeted strikes continue in northern Gaza

Over the past 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force has conducted airstrikes on approximately 60 terrorist targets across the Palestinian enclave.

In one instance, the IDF and Shin Bet carried out a targeted strike against Hamas terrorists operating in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza.

According to the military, the strike was preceded by extensive measures to minimize civilian harm, including aerial surveillance, precision-guided munitions, and real-time intelligence.

The IDF reiterated that Hamas continues to violate international law by embedding its terrorist assets within civilian areas and using the Gazan population as human shields.

“The IDF and Shin Bet will continue to operate against terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip,” the military said in a statement.

The cost of war

Two IDF soldiers were killed fighting Palestinian terrorists in the southern Gaza Strip, the military said on Friday.

The slain men were identified as Sgt. Yishai Elyakim Urbach, 20, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 605th Battalion, from Zikhron Ya’akov, and Staff Sgt. Yam Frid, 21, of the Golani Reconnaissance Battalion, from Sal’it in western Samaria.

According to an initial IDF probe, the first incident occurred when Hamas operatives fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a building in Rafah’s Jenina neighborhood, where Israeli troops were positioned.

The explosion caused part of the structure to collapse, killing Urbach and wounding two other soldiers—one seriously and one moderately.

Roughly two hours later, in the same area, an armored personnel carrier was struck by an explosive device. Frid was killed in the blast, and four other soldiers were wounded, including three in serious condition.

“Elyakim and Yam fell defending the country in the war for our existence. Their heroism and bravery will be forever etched in our hearts,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement.

Eight hundred and fifty-six Israeli soldiers have been killed since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks on the northwestern Negev.

Sgt. Yishai Elyakim Urbach (left), and Staff Sgt. Yam Frid were killed in action in Gaza, May 8, 2025. (X Screenshot)

End game

Netanyahu issued a warning to Hamas on Thursday as the IDF prepares to expand its offensive in the Gaza Strip.

“To Hamas, I say one thing: The rules are about to change very soon,” Netanyahu said during a visit to reservists of the IDF’s 5th “HaSharon” Infantry Brigade at the Tze’elim training base in the Negev.

“I came to see firsthand the quality of our soldiers—our heroes—in preparation for the intense action we are about to undertake in Gaza,” he said.

Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s two key objectives: “First—to defeat Hamas, to be victorious over Hamas, to eliminate Hamas. The second, of course, simultaneously—is to release our hostages.”

The remarks came ahead of the expected launch of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.” The campaign aims to dismantle Hamas and secure the release of 59 remaining hostages held since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist invasion.

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