Tel Aviv, Oct 11, (dpa/GNA) – Israel’s army is reportedly still fighting Hamas gunmen in the south of the country, four days after militants from the organization launched a surprise attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Israeli soldiers killed three militants near Kibbutz Zikim, Israeli media reported on Wednesday. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Israel.
The army said it had encountered several Hamas members in the region in recent days. In one case in Kibbutz Beeri, the militia were wearing Israeli army uniforms, and opened fire on the soldiers. The soldiers fired tank shells at the militants, killing them.
In another kibbutz, soldiers “neutralized” a gunman in a bomb shelter, and rescued a young civilian. It was initially unclear whether the Palestinian militant had taken him hostage.
“We have several wounded and dead,” a general told Israeli media.
According to the statement, the army killed 108 Palestinian terrorists in Beeri alone. The bodies of 100 residents had been found earlier in the devastated kibbutz.
The soldiers found both babies and people who had been handcuffed, shot and killed, the general said.
GNA