Hamas said on Monday that the Israel Defense Forces carried out a covert operation, claiming that special forces entered Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, disguised as women, and tried to kidnap the commander of the Al-Nasser Salah Al-Din Brigades, Ahmed Kamal Sarhan, who was later killed.

The brigade is the military arm of the Popular Resistance Committees terror organization, considered the third largest in Gaza. "We confirm that a special Zionist force entered the city of Khan Yunis, disguised as women, and tried to kidnap the commander, who thwarted the operation and became a martyr in a direct confrontation with the force," Hamas reported.

"The ongoing Zionist terror and its escalating threats of forcible eviction and uprooting, the latest of which occurred this morning in the city of Khan Yunis, will not shake our people's determination, and will not push them to succumb to the uprooting plans," added Hamas.

Arabic media outlets reported a large number of deaths and wounded in massive IDF attacks as part of the operation, including air strikes, accompanied by gunfire from combat helicopters and tank fire in the area. At the same time, smoke bombs were fired, under cover of which the special force apparently left Khan Yunis.