Day 13: More than 130 terrorists killed in ground operation

Large numbers of ground troops cross into the Strip as military escalates operation to destroy tunnel infrastructure.

Yoav Zitun

The IDF's ground incursion into Gaza has led to a rapid rise in the number of terrorists killed. Since the beginning of the ground operation, IDF soldiers have eliminated more than 130 terrorists, including more than 60 Saturday overnight.

During the overnight firefights, a Golani Brigade battalion commander, Colonel Rassan Alian, sustained light-to-moderate injuries.

Large infantry forces entered Gaza overnight, as the IDF expanded Operation Protective Edge on Sunday. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit announced that the ground forces joined the ongoing operations to destroy terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, which began with the ground incursion.

The escalation of the operation occurred after a difficult day in the Strip, during which four IDF soldiers were killed in a series of incidents.

According to the Palestinians, IDF strikes overnight claimed the lives of four people. According to the report from Gaza, Israeli shelling on Shuja'iyya killed the son of senior Hamas official Khalil al-Khayya , formerly the chairman of the political faction, as well as his wife and two children.

Gaza Strip residents said last night's bombing campaign was the heaviest of the operation's 13 days.

A senior military source said that 2,600 targets were attacked since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge and 470 since the beginning of the ground incursion.

"This number will rise significantly in the coming hours because of a concentrated effort in the northern Strip," added the source, and said that the IDF uncovered 36 tunnel shafts and 14 tunnels.

"The forces on the ground are making a tremendous effort to destroy the tunnels."

According to the senior military source, dozens of terrorists were killed overnight: "In the tunnels we found RPG missiles, explosive materials, tranquilizers, booby-trapped fighting measures, communication devices, and even mini-bunkers meant for attacks."

Fifteen Palestinians were arrested during the operations.