Tel Aviv [Israel]: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Sunday that its troops had dismantled a 1.2-kilometre-long “underground terrorist route” in northern Gaza. According to the IDF, the operation uncovered a weapons storage site containing around 20 explosive devices and an anti-tank guided missile.
⭕️ IDF troops identified and dismantled a 1.2 kilometer-long underground terrorist route in northern Gaza
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 13, 2025
A weapons storage facility was located near the route, containing a stockpile of around 20 explosive devices and an anti-tank guided missile amongst other weapons.
In swift… pic.twitter.com/Sws8sd5dSa
In a post shared on X, the IDF stated,
“IDF troops identified and dismantled a 1.2 kilometre-long underground terrorist route in northern Gaza. A weapons storage facility was located near the route, containing a stockpile of around 20 explosive devices and an anti-tank guided missile, amongst other weapons. In swift and precise coordination, an IAF aircraft strike eliminated several terrorists who were identified planting an explosive device near the troops during the operation.”
A video accompanying the post showed three individuals on the ground, purportedly near the site of the operation.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after an Israeli airstrike hit Gaza’s al-Ahli Hospital on Sunday. According to a report by Al Jazeera, the strike caused significant damage to the hospital’s emergency unit, rendering the only remaining operational hospital in northern Gaza non-functional.
Health officials began evacuating patients following a warning issued by the Israeli military prior to the attack. The Palestinian Civil Defence said in a statement,
“The bombing led to the destruction of the surgery building and the oxygen generation station for the intensive care units,” and noted that the airstrike occurred just minutes after the warning.
Gaza’s Government Media Office strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “heinous and filthy crime”, and accused Israel of executing a “systematic plan” to dismantle Gaza’s healthcare sector. The office said that 34 hospitals have been destroyed or rendered inoperative.
The IDF, in its statement, claimed that Hamas was using the al-Ahli Hospital as a command and control centre to plan and coordinate attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.
According to a UN Human Rights Office report released in December 2024, at least 136 Israeli attacks between October 7, 2023, and June 30, 2024, targeted 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities in Gaza. These attacks caused extensive civilian casualties and led to widespread destruction of vital healthcare infrastructure.