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The Israel Defence Force (IDF) has published to its Telegram channel additional details of what it claims are its anti-terrorist operations in Al-Shati camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

It says that over the past 24 hours, “soldiers killed numerous terrorists and uncovered a large number of terrorist infrastructure in the area”.

During one of the battles with the terrorists, IDF troops identified civilians who were located in a building in the area. The IDF secured an evacuation route for the civilians, and as the civilians were evacuating, terrorists fired at the troops from the outskirts of the area. In order to protect the evacuation route, IDF troops responded with light weapons fire and tanks to kill the terrorists.

In another engagement, IDF troops identified a terrorist cell barricaded inside a house in the area and posed a threat to the forces. IDF troops directed an aircraft and fired at the terrorists, killing the terrorists. In addition, following an identification of an anti-tank missile launched from a weapons storage facility inside a building, a fighter jet struck the source of the fire.

Israel justifies attacks saying they are on Hamas bunkers and infrastructure in the area but the assault comes with diplomatic risks

• Israel-Hamas war – live updates

Establishing control over al-Shifa hospital is a key Israeli objective for military and political reasons. The sprawling complex dominates the centre of Gaza City, where Hamas has much of its administrative infrastructure, and is close to the main north-south road that runs along the coast.

Destroying the ability of Hamas to govern Gaza is one of the stated aims of the Israeli offensive.