The Israeli fighter jets carried out overnight airstrikes over 250 Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip including a rocket launch site that was hidden between a mosque and kindergarten, Times of Israel reported on Thursday.
Israeli defence Forces called this "another proof" that terror group Hamas uses "civilian sites for terror purposes".
The sites struck by Israel included Hamas infrastructure, command centers, tunnels, and rocket launchers, according to the IDF.
The IDF said that the rocket launchers were "placed in the heart of civilian areas that fired toward Israeli territory throughout the war."
It further said that the missile launch site is "located adjacent to a mosque and kindergarten, which is further proof that Hamas deliberately uses civilian sites for terror purposes."
Israeli Air Force also said in a statement about attacking over 250 terror targets of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"Terrorist infrastructure, combat tunnel shafts and launchers in a civilian environment; The Air Force attacked over 250 targets of the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In the last day, fighter jets of the Air Force attacked more than 250 targets of the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip," Israeli Air Force posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Among the targets that were attacked, were terrorist infrastructures, operational headquarters, terrorist tunnel shafts and rocket launchers placed in a civilian environment, which were used to shoot at Israel during the fighting.
Separately, the IDF said that the Navy forces struck a Hamas surface-to-air missile launch position in Khan Younis, Times of Israel reported.
IDF also posted a purported audio conversation between an IDF officer and Gazan civilian about Hamas terrorists not allowing civilians to evacuate towards Southern Gaza.
"LISTEN to an IDF officer in Unit 504 encourage a resident of Gaza to evacuate southward for their safety. Hamas continues to use the civilians of Gaza as human shields, not allowing them to evacuate," IDF posted on X
Meanwhile, the families of 224 hostages have been notified about their kin being held in the Gaza by Hamas, Times of Israel reported.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that the military has so far notified the families of 224 hostages that their loved ones are being held in the Gaza Strip.
He said that the number is not final as the military investigates new information.
Notably, the number does not include four released hostages -- mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Ra'anan, freed on Friday night, and elderly women Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper released on Monday night, Times of Israel reported.
Hamas launched a massive terror attack on Israel on October 7, which killed over 1400 people and left several more injured.
After this, Israel launched a strong counter-offensive against Hamas units in Gaza strip.
According to the health ministry of Hamas, the death toll in Gaza has crossed 7,000, Times of Israel reported.
