Tel Aviv -- The military says it killed five gunmen in eastern Rafah, an IDF-held area in the southern Gaza Strip where dozens of Hamas operatives are believed to be trapped in tunnels.

Troops of the Nahal Brigade, during scans of the area, spotted the five armed operatives and killed them a short while later, the army says, publishing images of their firearms.

The military says it believes that the gunmen had emerged from tunnels in the area, where several dozen Hamas operatives remain holed up.
Rafah, November 25, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
The military says it killed five gunmen in eastern Rafah, an IDF-held area in the southern Gaza Strip where dozens of Hamas operatives are believed to be trapped in tunnels.

Troops of the Nahal Brigade, during scans of the area, spotted the five armed operatives and killed them a short while later, the army says, publishing images of their firearms.

The military says it believes that the gunmen had emerged from tunnels in the area, where several dozen Hamas operatives remain holed up.

A week ago, IDF troops spotted and shot dead four operatives who emerged from a tunnel in the area. In an incident over the weekend, 17 gunmen emerged from tunnels and were either killed or captured.

The IDF has vowed to kill or capture all the remaining operatives on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line, separating Gaza in accordance with the October ceasefire agreement.