IDF troops operating in southern Gaza uncovered a store of weapons stored in a UNRWA school complex, which also included a mosque and a medical clinic, the IDF announced on Thursday.
During searches, a hidden explosive in a shaft underneath a civilian clinic exploded on IDF troops.
The hidden explosive device killed the three IDF soldiers, St.-Sgt. Amir Galilove, St.-Sgt. Uri Bar Or and St.-Sgt Ido Appel that the IDF confirmed on Wednesday.
Many weapons were discovered during the operation, including firearms, grenades, and enemy uniforms.
The IDF located shafts leading to a vast network of tunnels inside the classrooms at the school.
Tunnel searches in Rafah
The IDF has been increasing its operations in Rafah, searching for Hamas tunnels running into Egypt.
Over the past week, over 20 tunnels have been discovered in the Philadelphi corridor, which runs along the border.
Egypt has for years claimed to have done all it could to destroy Hamas's smuggling tunnels and has been strenuously denying that it has any knowledge of the tunnels Israel is uncovering.
IDF explained to Israeli media on Wednesday the situation on the ground: "It doesn’t mean that we have boots on the ground across all of the corridors, but it means we can control and we have the ability to cut off the oxygen line that Hamas has used for replenishing and movement in and around that area."
The Israeli government has been strongly pushing for controlling the corridor as the best means of cutting off the supply of weapons to Hamas.