Three Hamas rocket launch pads that were hiding in a humanitarian zone near Khan Yunis have been destroyed by Israeli forces.
On Monday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) discovered three rocket launchers nested near a shelter tent and an aid distribution facility near Gaza’s second-largest city. After evacuating the area, Israeli fighter jets hit the launchers, with no civilian injuries reported.
“This is another example of Hamas’ exploitation of humanitarian compounds and areas for its terrorist activities and its use of the civilian population as a human shield,” the IDF said in a statement.
Hamas has long engaged in the tactic of using human shields, a practice that involves the strategic placement of civilians near military targets or within combat zones to deter enemy attacks. This approach not only puts innocent lives at risk but also violates international humanitarian law, which seeks to protect non-combatants during armed conflicts.
As per the Jerusalem Post, these launchers were used by Hamas during its barrage of missiles launched into southern Israel on October 7. More than 9,100 rockets have been fired into Israel by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad during the recent months of fighting.
