According to the military, troops identified the group of armed terrorists operating in a manner that posed an immediate threat to adjacent IDF forces in the area before conducting a strike.

The IDF struck a cell of Hamas terrorists who were spotted operating near Israeli troops in northern Gaza on Friday.

According to the military, troops identified the group of armed terrorists operating in a manner that posed an immediate threat to adjacent IDF forces in the area before conducting a strike and confirming that the cell was hit.

The IDF asserted that its Southern Command remains deployed in Gaza in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, reaffirming that it will continue to operate to remove immediate threats to Israeli troops.

Hamas refuses disarmament

According to a Reuters report on Thursday, citing two Egyptian sources and one Palestinian official, Hamas has refused to comply with disarmament efforts outlined in a plan put forth by the Gaza Board of Peace until all of its demands, including a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, are met.

The plan, which was seen by Reuters on March 27, begins with a committee of Palestinian technocrats taking control of Gaza’s security and ends with Israeli troops fully withdrawing, only once "verification that Gaza is free of weaponry" is established.

Hamas told mediators that it will not even discuss laying down arms until the IDF withdraws, according to the Reuters report.

Reuters contributed to this report.