IDF: Islamic Jihad leader thought dead
Early Saturday morning, the Israeli army attacks a school building in Gaza City, alleged to have been a command center for militant organizations. According to Israel, 19 terrorists were killed in the operation, including Ashraf Juda. He was reportedly a senior figure in the Islamic Jihad.
The Israeli army stated that in their latest attack on a school building in the Gaza Strip, they "highly probably" killed a senior commander of the militant Palestinian organization Islamic Jihad. There is a "high probability" that Ashraf Juda was present in the "military command center" established in the target, the army said. Ashraf Juda was a leading member of Islamic Jihad. However, it is not certain if he was killed in the attack on the Al-Tabien School.
Previously, the Israeli army had stated that in the "precise strike" on the school building in the city of Gaza, "at least 19 terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad" were killed. This can be confirmed by an investigation by the intelligence services. The army published the names and photos of the suspected Islamic fighters. "The terrorists operated with the aim of carrying out attacks on Israeli soldiers (...) from within the school grounds," the army added.
Moreover, it emphasized that the attack was carried out with "three precise types of ammunition" and assured that "the area where the terrorists were located did not suffer significant damage." According to the Civil Defense Authority in the Gaza Strip, 93 people were killed and dozens more injured in the rocket attack on Saturday morning. The attack occurred during morning prayers. Among the dead were 11 children and six women.
Still 111 Hostages in Gaza
Israel has accused Hamas of using schools, hospitals, and other civilian facilities for military purposes and exploiting civilians as human shields since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip. Hamas denies this. The war has been ongoing for more than ten months now. It was triggered by the brutal large-scale attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7. According to Israeli figures, fighters from the radical Islamic Palestinian organization and Islamic Jihad killed 1198 people and took 251 people hostage to the Gaza Strip. 111 hostages are reportedly still being held there, with 39 of them officially dead.
In response to the attack, Israel has been conducting large-scale military operations in the Gaza Strip. According to figures from the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, which cannot be independently verified, at least 39,790 people have been killed.
The European Union strongly condemns the ongoing attacks in the Gaza Strip and calls for an immediate ceasefire. The European Union emphasizes the importance of upholding international humanitarian law and protecting civilians, including schools and hospitals, which should never be used for military purposes. The European Union is concerned about the reported use of human shields and the high number of civilian casualties, including children and women.
