The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued clearing operations in Zaytoun neighborhood, southeastern Gaza City, on February 24. The IDF 401st Brigade (assigned to the 162nd Division) directed an airstrike on Palestinian fighters preparing to launch anti-tank munitions at Israeli forces in Zaytoun.
Palestinian militias continued trying to disrupt Israeli operations in Zaytoun on February 24. The militant wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad fired mortars and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) targeting Israeli forces in Zaytoun. The al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, which is the self-proclaimed military wing of Fatah and aligned with Hamas in the war, fired RPGs, mortars, and rockets and clashed with Israeli forces in Zaytoun and south of Zaytoun. The Mujahideen Brigades fired rockets targeting Israeli forces in Zaytoun. The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement is a Palestinian faction aligned with Hamas and has expressed close ties with Iran. The military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine clashed with Israeli forces in Zaytoun. The PFLP is a secular leftist Palestinian faction fighting with Hamas.
The IDF Nahal Brigade (assigned to the 162nd Division) killed several Palestinian fighters in the central Gaza Strip between February 23 and 24.
The IDF continued to conduct clearing operations in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on February 24. The IDF 7th Armored Brigade (assigned to the 36th Division) “deepened” its operations in western Khan Younis.The brigade located weapons in a re-purposed UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) bag in western Khan Younis.[9] The same brigade raided the house of a senior military intelligence officer in Khan Younis and destroyed a tunnel shaft near the house. The brigade also identified seven Palestinian fighters in Khan Younis and directed an airstrike that killed the fighters. The 35th Paratrooper Brigade (assigned to the 98th Division) located weapons and clashed with Palestinian fighters in western Khan Younis. The Givati Brigade (assigned to the 162nd Division) directed sniper fire targeting several Palestinian fighters in Khan Younis.
Palestinian militias continued to defend against Israeli clearing operations in Khan Younis on February 24. The al Quds Brigades mortared Israeli forces in Khan Younis. The al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades conducted mortar and improvised explosive device attacks and clashed with Israeli forces in Khan Younis City and western Khan Younis. The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement said that its fighters sniped Israeli soldiers in western Khan Younis.
Key Takeaways:
- Northern Gaza Strip: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued clearing operations in Zaytoun neighborhood, southeastern Gaza City.
- Southern Gaza Strip: The IDF continued to conduct clearing operations in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
- Political Negotiations: US, Qatari, and Egyptian officials proposed a new hostage deal to Israeli negotiators during discussions in Paris.
- Yemen: US CENTCOM reported that it destroyed seven Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles in Houthi-controlled Yemen that were ready to fire.
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