The terrorists based themselves in school compounds and were operating inside two structures in the Shati and Daraj Tuffah areas of northern Gaza at the time of the strikes

The army said several of the terrorists killed had been involved in the October 7 attacks, held hostages and were planning further attacks

"The Hamas terrorist organization continuously violates international law by systematically exploiting civilian structures and using the civilian population as human shields for its terror activity against Israel," the IDF's statement said

The army has repeatedly found Hamas weapons, tunnel shafts and command centers in schools, hospitals, homes and UN facilities

In recent days, Israeli airstrikes and raids have targeted buildings used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in a UNRWA facility, a Gaza university and residential homes, as well as a rocket launching site placed inside a humanitarian zone

Aerial surveillance checks, precise munitions, and additional intelligence measures were used to mitigate harm to civilians

Palestinian reports said a sister of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was among the dead in the Shati strike but details were not clear

At least 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 116 remaining hostages, more than 30 are believed dead