Jerusalem, Jan 11 (IANS): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Saturday that it has killed three militants in the northern Gaza Strip.
These militants were killed while attempting to fire at the IDF's Givati infantry brigade troops in the city of Jabalia.
"With reconnaissance drone, the soldiers identified the three terrorists who approached and hid in a nearby structure," read the statement. "The terrorists then tried to attack the soldiers, using a shaft inside the structure."
The IDF also released video footage showing the presence of an armed militant inside the structure.
According to the IDF, the troops gunned down two of the militants who were hiding, and the third was killed in a targeted operation by Givati soldiers.
Also on Saturday, a rocket was fired from southern Gaza towards the Israeli kibbutz of Kerem Shalom. Israeli air defence system intercepted it, and no casualties took place, reported Xinhua news agency.
Earlier, a White House spokesperson said on Friday that a deal that would secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza is "possible" to be reached before January 20, the day when US President-elect Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated to succeed incumbent President Joe Biden.
John Kirby, the coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council, told reporters during a press gaggle that he was unable to give "a percentage" indicating the precise possibility of such a deal being ultimately struck, hence paving the way for the release of 100 hostages -- among whom seven are Americans.
"The question is, do I think it's possible?" Kirby said. "Yes, we think it's possible, but not without a lot of hard work still ahead of us. "
Biden's Middle East envoy, Brett McGurk, is currently leading a US delegation in Doha, Qatar, in what is the administration's last-minute effort to try to get the hostage deal over the finish line, according to Kirby.
Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, is in the delegation for the negotiations. "I'm really hopeful that by the inaugural, we'll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president," Witkoff said of Trump during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday.