In a targeted airstrike last week, the IDF killed five armed fighters who were near a vehicle marked with the emblem of the international humanitarian aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK) last week, the military announced on Tuesday.
It said that the WCK confirmed that it had no affiliation with the international organization and had posed a threat to troops.
It added that they "deliberately affixed the emblem and wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted, cynically exploiting the status and trust afforded to aid organizations."
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the miliary unit responsible for overseeing civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, confirmed with WCK had not been connected to the operations of the vehicle, added the IDF.
The vehicle was located several days ago in the area of Deir al-Balah. An IAF jet struck it and killed the terrorists.
"Hamas and other terrorist organizations exploit the humanitarian effort to advance terrorist objectives at the expense of the welfare of the population in Gaza. The IDF, through COGAT, will continue to work in cooperation with international aid organizations to prevent their exploitation for terrorist purposes," said the IDF.
Reports of IDF special forces arresting suspects in Deir al-Balah
The announcement follows earlier, unconfirmed reports of an arrest made by an undercover unit, also in the area of Deir al-Balah, of Ismail Abed al-Karim Khatab.
Reports did not indicate his significance, but did say he was brought to the Kissufim Crossing, and that the strikes occurred soon after. IAF airstrikes targeted the area soon after.