INTO THE ABYSS Hamas is ‘disintegrating’ claims Israel as more ‘terror suspects’ are rounded up and army closes on ‘Gaza’s Bin laden’
Israeli troops are currently pushing forward through Khan Younis in Gaza's south, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled to in order to escape the fighting in the north
By Iona Cleave
December 10 2023
ISRAEL says the "disintegration" of Hamas has begun as it claims scores of terror suspects are surrendering to its forces.
It comes as fighting is intensified in the south while Israel closes in on Hamas' surviving top brass and makes killing "Gaza's Bin Laden" its number one priority.
The moment a man hands over his assault rifle during what Israel claims is a mass surrender of Hamas operatives
IDF troops closing in on Hamas' terror cells as they tighten their grip on Gaza
Israel said it will interrogate anyone who surrenders with links to Hamas
Last night, Israeli military officials claimed that Hamas militants had been surrendering close to Gaza City in the heavily bombed Shajaiya and Jabaliya neighbourhoods.
Officials alleged that Hamas operatives had lost contact with their leadership who are said to have fled south, leaving its "disintegrating" forces with no option but to capitulate to the IDF.
Unverified footage showed dozens of suspects bound, stripped and lined up next to heavily armed Israeli troops and tanks.
One barefoot man is seen handing over an assault rifle to Israeli troops with his hands in the air, while others behind him hold their up their identification cards.
On Friday, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told IDF soldiers that he "sees the signs indicating a breakdown is beginning inside Gaza".
It comes as The Institute for the Study of War claimed that seven terror cells had already surrendered and six of Hamas' northern battalions are "close to collapse" and that
The claims come only two days after Israel said it had captured hundreds of Hamas terrorists.
Extraordinary footage appears to show suspects sitting in the middle of the street - again stripped, restrained, blindfolded.
Hamas alleged that all the men were unarmed, innocent civilians, however Israel has said it will interrogate all those who surrender to troops with potential links to Hamas.
"We are seeing every day more and more terror operatives killed, more and more terror operatives wounded, and in recent days we’re seeing terrorists surrendering — a sign of the disintegration of the system, a sign that we need to push harder,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Israel's military says it is closing in on Hamas' top terror chief, Yahya Sinwar, who they believe is holed up underground in the southern city of Khan Younis.
Last Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF surrounded Sinwar's house, but that he wasn't there.
He vowed: "He can run and hide but we will get him."
"Gaza's Bin Laden", 61, is understood to be the "mastermind" behind the October 7 attacks, which saw the terror group slaughter 1,200 men, women, and children.
In a tell-all interview with The Sun, IDF spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said Sinwar was "at the top of our kill list".
“He is the person that financed [October 7], organised it, planned it, and gave the green light to to go and kill and butcher, massacre, abduct, rape and behead Israelis.
"He’s at the top of our list. We intend on catching up with him and killing him in action."
He vowed to root out every last terrorist and claimed that Sinwar and henchmen are hiding like "cowards" underneath Gaza using civilians as human shields.
It comes as a senior defence official has claimed that the Israeli military needs at least another two months to complete the first stage of its war against Hamas.
However, official sources in Washington said that US President Joe Biden has given Israel until the end of the year to wrap up its devastating offensive inside war-torn Gaza.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled to Khan Younis in order to escape the carnage in the north.
The Hamas-run health authorities in Gaza say Israel has killed more than 17,700 people in its relentless bombardment and offensive campaign, including more than 7,000 children.
On Friday night, the US vetoed a United Nations resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, where Palestinians are facing what the UN chief described as a "humanitarian nightmare".
UN officials have urgently warned the conditions are "hell on earth" with the majority of its 2.3million population unable to access food, water or medicine.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is believed to be in hiding in southern Gaza with Hamas's surviving leaders
Israeli military officials said the scenes took place near Gaza City
The 'breakdown' of Hamas is beginning, says Israel, as its fighters lose contact with its leadership
The US has reportedly given Israel until the end of the month to finish its war with Hamas
Palestinians search for victims after an Israeli air strike in a still smouldering building
Scenes of devastation inside southern Gaza as Israel pushes forward with its offensive in the south
IDF troops say they have wiped out half of Hamas commanders
Israel are hunting down their number one target - Yahya Sinwar - 'Gaza's Bin Laden'