Dozens of Hamas terrorists lost contact with the terror group's leadership, leaving them with no option but to lay down their weapons and surrender to Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, Army Radio reported on Sunday morning.
After images of stripped terrorists in Jabalya and Khan Yunis circulated on social media, reports emerged that the IDF is "identifying changes in Hamas leadership's conduct."
A security source told Army Radio that Hamas's senior leaders, thought to have fled to Khan Yunis in Gaza's south, "prefer their personal survival over the survival of Hamas's command and control operations."
Hamas battalions 'capitulated' in Gaza fighting, US-based institute says
Earlier on Sunday, the US-based Institute for the Study of War assessed in an X thread that at least seven Hamas battalions have already capitulated in fighting with the IDF.
Israeli forces continued clearing operations in Khan Younis as Palestinian militias attempt to resist Israeli advances. The al Qassem Brigades—the militant wing of #Hamas—claimed several attacks on Israeli forces and vehicles in the southern #Gaza Strip.(1/6) pic.twitter.com/2uvMJHD4pS
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) December 10, 2023
In addition, six battalions are "close to collapse," the Institute continued. According to the Insitute, the collapse of Hamas's Gaza City and northern brigades could signal the fall of the northern Strip to Israeli forces.
On Friday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told IDF soldiers that he "sees the signs indicating a breakdown is beginning inside Gaza."
IDF strikes mosque in south, continues targeting tunnels in Gaza
The IDF struck over 250 terror targets in ground, aerial and naval operations across the Strip over the past 24 hours, the IDF said on Sunday morning.
Israeli forces carried out a raid on a southern Gaza mosque after Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck a Hamas military communications site located near the mosque.
The Israeli militayr also continued to strike underground tunnel shafts in Khan Yunis.