Israeli soldiers found child-friendly Hamas explosive belts and toy chests hiding warheads in a Gaza kindergarten, the military said over the weekend.
The Israel Defense Forces said a sweep of an area operated by Hamas near schools, a mosque and a medical center found a weapons complex packed with countless explosives.
At the compound, the IDF found explosive belts specifically modified for use by children, along with dozens of mortar shells, hundreds of grenades and several intelligence documents, it said on Sunday.
The attack on the compound was carried out after Israeli troops eliminated seven Hamas terrorists in the building.
A similar raid occurred at a Gaza school that served as a shelter for Palestinian refugees, the IDF said.
The IDF found explosive belts adapted for use by children during a raid on a Hamas weapons complex. Dozens of mortar shells, hundreds of grenades and several intelligence documents were found in the raid. Israel Defense Forces Another IDF investigation found warheads hidden inside toy chests in a Gaza kindergarten. Israel Defense Forces
After the refugees were evacuated, a sweep of the building revealed rows and rows of grenades, RPG missiles, explosives and firearms ammunition.
The disturbing discoveries were revealed just one day after the IDF announced it had found another weapons cache inside a kindergarten.
“IDF troops found toy boxes filled with dozens of mortar shells, warheads and RPG-type anti-tank missiles in a daycare center in Gaza,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
The Israeli military has long accused Hamas of harboring its members and weapons within civilian areas of Gaza, and the small explosive belts suggest the terrorist group was even attempting to use child combatants in its war against Israel.
The IDF did not specify which areas of Gaza the raids were carried out in, as the Jewish army advanced through all areas of the Palestinian enclave and added underground forces to root out the enemy in its elaborate tunnel system.
Rows of confiscated weapons sit in the center of a school that housed Palestinian refugees. Israel Defense Forces
The developments emerged when gunfire erupted on Sunday near the vital Rafah crossing from Egypt into southern Gaza, creating “absolute chaos” around where aid trucks had been allowed to pass, CNN reported. It was unclear who fired into the crowd.
At least 14 Israeli soldiers have been killed in southern Gaza since Friday in one of the bloodiest 48 hours since the war began on October 7.
At least four soldiers were killed when their vehicle was hit by anti-tank missiles, according to Israeli Army Radio, and another 10 were killed in separate conflicts.
A total of 153 IDF soldiers have been killed since the ground incursion began in October, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees the casualties as the price to pay to eliminate Hamas once and for all.
“War exacts a very high price from us, but we have no choice but to continue fighting,” he told his war cabinet on Sunday. “We continue with all our strength, until the end, until victory, until we achieve all our objectives.”
Weapons found at the school included firearms, ammunition and RPG explosives. Israel Defense Forces
Meanwhile, negotiators are seeking another temporary pause in hostilities to help free dozens of Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza.
Israeli officials confirmed that Egypt, which is leading talks along with Qatar, has submitted a truce proposal that would end hostilities for two weeks in exchange for 40 hostages, including women, minors and the elderly, the Times of Israel said.
Israel has specified that it wants priority in the exchange to be given to those suffering from illnesses.
In exchange, the Jewish State would release 120 Palestinians who are in its prisons, specifically women and minors, according to reports from the Asharq channel, based in Saudi Arabia.
Conflict continues to rage across Gaza, and an Israeli tank fired one shot in the south on Sunday. AFP via Getty Images
The exchange deal would conclude with the withdrawal of Israeli tanks from Gaza and the arrival of more humanitarian aid to the nearly 2 million displaced people in the Palestinian enclave.
The second phase of the Egyptian plan would call for the Palestinian Authority to meet with Hamas officials and form a technocratic government focused on rebuilding the Gaza Strip and paving the way for the people to have parliamentary government and presidential elections.
The final phase would see a de-escalation of the war along with the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners affiliated with Hamas and the Islamic Jihad terror groups.
Destroyed buildings are now a common sight in the Rafah area of Gaza after the latest round of Israeli bombings. AFP via Getty Images
In this final phase, Israel would agree to withdraw its forces from Gaza and allow residents to return to their homes.
The Egyptian plan was revealed after a meeting between officials in Cairo and Hamas’ top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, that began last week.
It is unclear whether Israel would accept such a ceasefire, as the Jewish state has repeatedly stated that it does not want the Palestinian Authority, or any foreign power, to become involved in post-war Gaza.
Netanyahu has also reiterated for weeks that, regardless of any temporary ceasefire, Israel will not conclude its operations in Gaza until all of Hamas is captured or eradicated.
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