War in Middle East - Many dead in Israel's attack on Hamas military chief
Israel's Army attacked the leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, in the Gazastrip, resulting in the death of dozens of other people. It was initially uncertain whether Deif was killed or injured in the air raid west of Khan Younis.
"There is still no absolute certainty," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference in Tel Aviv. The army had previously stated that they were still checking if Deif and Rafa Salama, the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade, had been killed in the air strike. Both were reportedly "masterminds of the October 7 massacre" on Israeli soil.
The Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" had previously reported 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 the city of Khan Younis in the southern coastal region.
Palestinian casualties in Israeli military operation
According to Palestinian reports, at least 90 people were killed in the Israeli military operation. At least 300 more were injured in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone.
Israeli Army: No tents in targeted area
"The attack was carried out in a fenced-in area controlled by Hamas, where, according to our information, only Hamas terrorists and no civilians were present," the army stated. "It was a precise attack." It was assumed that most of the casualties were also terrorists, the military added.
The targeted object was located on open ground, surrounded by trees, several buildings, and trailers. There were no tents on the site.
A military spokesperson confirmed in an online briefing for journalists that the targeted object was located in the humanitarian zone west of Khan Younis declared by Israel. "It was, however, a fortified Hamas base occupied by terrorists," the spokesperson 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 targeted tents of displaced persons. Many of the injured Palestinians were reportedly critical.
Verification of the statements was initially impossible.
Army assessment
Israeli media reported, citing the army, that it was unclear if hostages were present in the area of the military operation. It was suspected that Hamas leaders were using some of the still-detained hostages as human shields.
Israel's Foreign Ministry stated that Defense Minister Joav Galant had recently conducted a situational assessment of the operational situation in Gaza with Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and the head of the domestic intelligence service, Ronen Bar.
A goal of Israel in the Gaza War is to capture or kill Deif, as well as the 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.
According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, there were multiple intense attacks in the area this morning. Employees at the nearby Nasser Hospital reported that there weren't enough beds to accommodate the large number of casualties from the attacks.
Images spread on social media allegedly showing a large crater after 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 initially.
Israel's army had previously announced that operations were ongoing in the Gaza Strip as a whole.
- The leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, is based in the Gaza Strip, specifically in the Gaza Strip.
- The Israeli military launched an attack on a fenced-in area controlled by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, where they believed Deif was present.
- The Israeli Army claimed that most of the casualties in the Gaza Strip were terrorists, as the area was believed to be controlled only by Hamas fighters.
- Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that the elimination of Deif and other senior Hamas leaders is a significant achievement in Israel's ongoing conflicts against Islamist groups like Hamas.
- The Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip led to the death of at least 90 people, according to Palestinian reports, with many of the injured reportedly critical.
- The Israeli Air Force targeted a Hamas military base in the Gazastrip, believed to have been occupied by terrorists, according to the military spokesperson.
- The Israeli Foreign Ministry asserted that Defense Minister Joav Galant conducted a situational assessment of the operational situation in Gaza with the Chief of Staff and the head of domestic intelligence service, but the specifics regarding hostages were unclear.
- The Palestinians accused the Israeli forces of targeting tents of displaced persons in the Gaza Strip, leading to further casualties, but this claim was not independently verified.
