Palestinians gather at the site of Israeli strikes and gunfire in Gaza City, Sept. 1, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Ebrahim Hajjaj

An Israeli-backed raid to detain a top Hamas terrorist in Gaza City was uncovered during the operation on Tuesday, prompting airstrikes to cover the force’s withdrawal that killed at least four Palestinians, Gaza officials said.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said a senior Hamas terrorist had been detained, while Hamas official Ismail Al-Thawabta said an Israeli special force had tried to carry out an operation in Gaza City before being detected.

According to Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, Israel then launched heavy airstrikes.

An Israeli security official said the man detained is the head of Hamas‘ internal security service.

Israeli media reported the raid may have been carried out by members of an Israeli-backed, anti-Hamas militia that operates from Israeli-controlled areas inside Gaza.

Witnesses said Israeli warplanes fired at least 12 missiles near the Katiba area in the west of Gaza City, an area crowded with displaced families.

At least four people — including two children and a woman — were killed and several others wounded in the bombardment, medics said.

The explosions forced many families sheltering in the area of Gaza City to leave, including from a nearby kindergarten, residents said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Israeli military said it struck several targets in the Gaza Strip in order to remove threats to Israeli security forces.

Katz did not provide details about the arrest operation or identify the Hamas terrorist.

“This is our policy: We do not wait for threats, but rather pursue Hamas terrorists, thwart them, and destroy their terror infrastructure,” Katz said while visiting the Netiv HaAsara community near the northern Gaza border.

A US-backed ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 halted the large-scale fighting that had devastated the enclave, but it has not ended Hamas attacks or Israeli strikes. The Israeli military says such operations are intended to prevent attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups.

The broader plan by US President Donald Trump to end the war includes further Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas.