Tel Aviv, Dec 17 : The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday said that they have killed Hamas members who were allegedly operating from inside the schools in Gaza. The IDF, in a statement, said that in a joint operation -- the IDF's 401st Brigade and Shayetet Special Forces killed Hamas members who were operating from inside schools in Gaza. It said that the operations took place in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City. 'The Hamas members were hiding inside of schools and the 401st Brigade and Shayetet 13 forces, under the direction of the 162nd Brigade raided the Mu'tasim Bi'llah and Farabi schools in Rimal,' IDF said. Israel launched a ground offensive inside Gaza on October 27 after Hamas attacked Israel in a surprise attack on October 7 in which 1200 Israelis were killed and over 200 were taken hostage. Since the outbreak of hostilities between Hamas and Israel, over 21,731Palestinians have been killed including 8,697 children and 4,410 women. /IANS