Overview of the situation - Israel: Hamas will hide the fate of military chief
Israel's Army intensely working on clarifying the fate of Hamas military chief Mohammad Deif after Saturday's air strike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Israeli Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi accused Hamas of attempting to conceal the results of the battle: "It's too early to conclude the outcomes of the strike that Hamas is trying to hide." The army targeted Deif at Khan Younis. Dozens of people were killed. It's still unclear whether Deif was among the dead.
It's "very hard to believe" that someone survived the air strike, quoted the "Wall Street Journal" Yossi Kuperwasser, former head of the research department of the Israeli Military Intelligence. It could still take days or weeks for Israel to gather enough information to definitively say what happened to Deif. Israel confirmed the death of Marwan Issa, Deif's deputy, two weeks after the attack on him. Hamas never acknowledged Issa's death.
If Deif is indeed deceased, he would be the highest-ranking Hamas leader killed by Israel during the ongoing Gaza War, which has been going on for over nine months. The Israeli Military confirmed on Sunday that the commander of the Hamas Chan-Junis Brigade, Rafa Salama, was killed in the air strike. He was reportedly with Deif at the time.
Meanwhile, approximately 15 people were killed and dozens were injured in another air strike on a school building in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the middle sector of the restricted Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian reports. The Hamas announced this. Israel's military previously stated that it had targeted several terrorists hiding in a UNRWA school building. They had used the school as a hideout and operations base for attacks against Israeli troops.
The army took numerous steps prior to the attack to minimize risks to civilians, it was stated. The statements of both sides could not be independently verified. In Nuseirat, Israel's army had recently, according to its own reports, targeted several terrorists hiding in a UNRWA school building from the air. Shortly before that, according to Hamas reports, 16 people had been killed in an attack on a former UNRWA school, which had served as a refugee shelter since the outbreak of the Gaza War.
Israel: Hamas uses schools and civilians as shields
The Israeli Army once again emphasized that the terror organization systematically violates international laws by using civilian structures like schools and the population as human shields for terrorist attacks against the State of Israel. The war was triggered by the massacre committed by terrorists from Hamas and other groups in Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths.
A Hamas representative in Beirut denied on Sunday that their military chief in Gaza had been killed. Deif is often referred to as the "Phantom." The 58-year-old is believed to have survived at least seven Israeli attacks. Israel must therefore be particularly meticulous in determining if he was killed this time, said Kuperwasser to the "Wall Street Journal." A photo of his body would be more compelling than intelligence reports, he said.
Israel's Army Chief: We found him
Approximately half a year ago, it was believed in Israel that Mohammed Deif had lost multiple limbs and had a multitude of physical disabilities. However, recordings emerged showing Deif with both arms and both legs. Deif is considered one of the most wanted terrorists in Israel. He is the deputy chief of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Yihya al-Sinwar. Israel aims to capture or kill him.
"Mohammed Deif was afraid to die, so he hid in a way that even impaired his ability to command," Halevi stated and added, "He hid and sacrificed his people and civilians who were in the area." The Israeli army chief is confident: "We have found him, we will also find the next ones."
According to Palestinian reports, at least 90 people were killed in the air raid. At least 300 more were injured in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, according to the health authority controlled by Hamas. These reports could not be independently verified at first. According to an Israeli army spokesperson, the target of the air raid was a fortified, guarded Hamas base located in the humanitarian zone west of Khan Yunis, as declared by Israel.
Hamas: Negotiations not broken off
A Hamas political wing representative denied reports that indirect negotiations with Israel over a ceasefire and the release of hostages had been broken off. It is not true that Hamas made such a decision after the Israeli air raid, he said. According to Israeli media reports, the head of the Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad, Daniel Barnea, is expected to travel to Doha, Qatar, for another round of hostage negotiation talks in the coming days.
In the ongoing indirect negotiations, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, the focus is on the exchange of the remaining hostages in Hamas custody for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, as well as a ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid. The indirect talks are progressing slowly. Israel has so far rejected the Hamas demand for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
- The military strike in Gaza on Sunday targeted the commander of the Hamas Chan-Junis Brigade, Rafa Salama, according to Israeli sources.
- The Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza Strip, have been under continuous air raid alerts due to escalating conflicts between Israel and Hamas.
- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has criticized Israel for conducting air raids on UNRWA school buildings in Gaza, allegedly using them as hideouts for Hamas militants.
- Marwan Issa, the deputy of Hamas military chief Mohammad Deif, was confirmed dead by Israel two weeks after an air strike in Gaza, but Hamas never publicly acknowledged his death.
- The Wall Street Journal quoted Yossi Kuperwasser, a former head of the research department of the Israeli Military Intelligence, stating that it's "very hard to believe" anyone survived the air strike that targeted Mohammad Deif.
- The Gaza War has resulted in numerous air strikes throughout the Gaza Strip, causing extensive damage and loss of life among civilians and military personnel from both sides.
- Israel's Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi accused Hamas of using civilians as shields during wars, a violation of international laws and human rights.
- The ongoing air raids and conflicts in Gaza have left a significant number of Palestinians injured and displaced, with critical infrastructure damages reported in several Israeli and Palestinian territories.
