Israeli forces destroyed a building used by Hamas to launch rockets at Ashdod yesterday, as troops of the 162nd Division push deeper into Gaza City, the military announced today. During these operations, the 215th Artillery Regiment struck the building, and other forces killed 15 gunmen and demolished Hamas infrastructure. The IDF also reported that the 98th Division directed an Israeli Air Force drone to strike a Hamas weapons manufacturing site within Gaza City, and separately killed a cell of operatives with a drone strike. In the southern Gaza Strip, IDF forces targeted Hamas operatives in a building with a drone strike. The military stated that the strikes were part of ongoing operations by the 162nd Division in Gaza City. The IDF also reported that its Gaza Division spotted Hamas operatives in a building in the south of the Strip, which was subsequently targeted by a drone strike. Separately, it was announced that Israel Katz will act as Prime Minister for the convening of the Cabinet, and Yariv Levin for the convening of the government, during Prime Minister Netanyahu's attendance at a UN rally. This comes amid heightened diplomatic activity, including Belgium's recognition of a Palestinian state on September 22nd, following similar recognitions by the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada on September 21st, which were welcomed by Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly rejected these recognitions, stating they are a "huge reward to terrorism" and that "there will be no Palestinian state."
