Israeli Troops Uncover Hamas Arsenal Hidden Near Abandoned Rafah School and Hospital

IDF forces discovered a Hamas weapons cache concealed within UNRWA-labeled humanitarian aid bags during operations in Rafah, Gaza, on April 27, 2025. (Credit: IDF)

Tel Aviv, Israel – May 4: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported ongoing operations by the "Iron Fist" Brigade in Rafah, where troops discovered stockpiles of weapons just 80 meters from a former school and 100 meters from a former hospital.

The IDF condemned Hamas for its use of civilian locations to conceal weapons, accusing the group of exploiting non-combatant areas for militant purposes. Accompanying images and diagrams released by the military show how close the weapons were to civilian structures.

Over the past week, the brigade has successfully dismantled both surface-level and underground terror infrastructure and has neutralized dozens of Hamas operatives in the southern Gaza region.

Additionally, Israeli Air Force units conducted extensive weekend strikes, hitting over 100 targets, including tunnel networks and subterranean facilities.

In the north of Gaza, Israeli forces found more weapons caches and dismantled key Hamas structures, while in the south, military activity intensified in Rafah and along the Morag axis, combining aerial assaults with ground maneuvers against militant elements.

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The IDF announced plans to deploy tens of thousands of reservists to reinforce operations, many of whom have been previously called into service during the ongoing conflict. These additional forces are expected to join operations in the coming days. Meanwhile, Israel’s security cabinet was slated to convene on Sunday to evaluate and vote on updated military strategies.

Currently, three IDF divisions are active in the Gaza Strip, focusing on ramping up pressure on Hamas to agree to a hostage release deal. Israeli leadership has cautioned that if negotiations fail, a broader offensive will target further areas within Gaza.

The October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israeli border communities resulted in the deaths of at least 1,180 individuals and the abduction of 252 people, including both Israelis and foreign nationals. Of the 59 hostages still held, 36 are presumed dead.