https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-767682
Intelligence collected from the battle with Hamas in the Gaza Strip periphery proves that the terrorist group’s plan was to conquer the area and hold it for an indefinite period, the IDF said Wednesday.
Equipment, logistical items, and other data indicated that the terrorists expected to stay in the area and came prepared for such an operation, before facing a faster and more powerful counterattack than what they had foreseen, it said.
If Hamas succeeded in surprising the IDF and Israel completely at stage one of the invasion, it is clear that the IDF’s second-round response – as opposed to a longer period of shock, waiting, and negotiation over hostages – took Hamas by surprise.
Three Hamas terrorists had recently been located and killed just south of Ashkelon, the farthest north within the South that any invaders succeeded in penetrating, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari said Wednesday.
They were discovered in an industrial area and not within Ashkelon itself, he said, adding that the IDF was probing how they got that far.