Tel Aviv [Israel], September 15 (ANI/TPS): The Israel Defence Forces carried out major strikes on Gaza City high-rises and eliminated a group of terrorists in Beit Hanoun during separate operations in the northern area of Gaza Strip on Sunday.

According to the IDF, Hamas had placed surveillance equipment in two of the Gaza City towers to track Israeli troop movements, while the third building contained observation posts.

'The terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip systematically violate international law, brutally exploiting civilian infrastructure and the Gazan population as human shields for terrorist activities,' the IDF said.

The army said it provided repeated warnings, used precise weapons and carried out aerial surveillance to minimize harm to civilians. The targeted strikes come as Israel estimates that more than 300,000 Palestinians have evacuated Gaza City.

Israel has called on residents to leave ahead of an offensive on Hamas' last stronghold, but an estimated 7,00,000 Palestinians still remain.

Separately, the IDF said it killed 11 terrorists in Beit Hanoun after launching a campaign against the remnants of Hamas battalions entrenched in the city. Troops focused on the Kasbah area, where intelligence suggested the remaining operatives were sheltering. Ground forces directed Israeli Air Force strikes against tunnel shafts and a major underground passage, leading to the elimination of 11 terrorists, including field commanders.

The army said operations were continuing to locate additional terrorists.

Meanwhile, Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced that water supplies to the southern Gaza Strip had resumed after repairs to a key pipeline. International organizations assisted in restoring the line, which is now delivering roughly 14,000 cubic meters of water daily to residents of Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and the coastal Mawasi district.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 are believed to be alive. (ANI/TPS)