War in Middle East - Many casualties in Israel's attack on Hamas military chief
Israel's Army attacked the leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, in the Gazan Strip, resulting in the death of dozens of other people. It was initially unclear whether Deif was among the dead or injured.
The attack also targeted the commander of Hamas' brigade in the city of Khan Younis, Rafa Salama, according to reports. Both were said to have been involved in the massacre on October 7th on Israeli soil.
Haaretz reported earlier that the army believed the head of the so-called Qassam Brigades was among the casualties.
Hamas denied an Israeli attack on their leadership near Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
According to Palestinian reports, at least 71 people were killed in the Israeli military operation. At least 289 more were injured in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.
Israel's Army: No Tents in Targeted Area
"The operation was carried out in a fenced area controlled by Hamas, where, according to our information, only Hamas terrorists and no civilians were present," the army stated. "It was a precise operation." It was speculated that most of the casualties were likely terrorists, according to the Military.
The targeted object was in open terrain, surrounded by trees, several buildings, and trailers. There were reportedly no tents on the site. A military representative acknowledged in an online briefing for journalists that the targeted object was located in the humanitarian zone west of Khan Younis. "It was, however, a fortified, guarded Hamas base, occupied by terrorists," he added. The military was also confident that no Israeli hostages were present at the time of the attack.
However, from the Palestinian side, it was reported that Israeli forces had struck refugee tents. Many of the injured Palestinians were reportedly critical, according to medical sources in Gaza.
The reports could not be independently verified at first.
Assessment of the Army
Israeli media reported, citing the army, that it was unclear whether hostages were present in the area of the military operation. It is believed that Hamas leaders are using some of the still-held hostages as human shields.
Israel's Foreign Ministry announced that Defense Minister Joav Galant had recently conducted a situation assessment with Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and the head of the domestic intelligence service, Ronen Bar, regarding the situation in Gaza.
A goal of Israel in the Gaza War is to capture or kill Deif, as well as Hamas leader in the coastal region, Yahya al-Sinwar. They are considered the two most important Hamas leaders within the Gaza Strip. In March, the army reported the death of the third-highest Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Marwan Issa.
Hospital Cannot Treat All the Wounded
According to reports from the Palestinian news agency Wafa, there were several intense attacks in the area in the morning. Employees at the nearby Nasser Hospital reported that there were not enough beds to accommodate the large number of casualties from the attacks.
Social media spread images showing a large crater allegedly caused by an air strike. People are seen digging in the sand and rubble, presumably looking for survivors. The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified at first.
Israel's army had announced earlier that operations were ongoing in the Gaza Strip as a whole.
- The attack in the Gazan Strip, as reported by Haaretz, targeted the alleged location of Mohammed Deif, the head of the Qassam Brigades, a military wing of Hamas.
- The military deployment resulted in the damage of a fortified Hamas base in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, according to an Israeli military representative.
- The Gaza-based Qassam Brigades denied any involvement in the hosting of Israeli hostages, disputing Israeli claims of using civilians as human shields.
- The Palestinian territories have seen an increase in conflicts following the Israeli military operation, with numerous reports of civilian casualties and damaged infrastructure.
- The Israeli Army's assessment, as presented by the Foreign Ministry, highlights the importance of capturing or killing Hamas leaders like Yahya al-Sinwar and Mohammed Deif to minimize future conflicts in the Gaza Strip.
- In the wake of the military action, the Gazan city of Gaza, particularly the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, has been characterized by a sharp rise in military activity and destruction, according to Palestinian sources and social media.
