War in Gaza - Many dead in Israel's attack on Hamas military chief
Israel's Army conducted a large-scale air raid in the Gaza Strip west of Khan Younis on Saturday morning. The target, according to the army, was Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas' military wing. Dozens of other people were reportedly killed. It remained uncertain for a long time whether Deif was actually hit or even killed by the air raid.
Later in the evening, a high-ranking Hamas representative spoke on Al-Jazeera TV. He referred to Netanyahu's statement on the matter and mocked it.
Netanyahu: Army still checking if Hamas military chief was killed
Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged at a press conference in Tel Aviv that there was "still no absolute certainty." Israel's Army had announced that it was checking if Deif and Rafah Salama, the commander of the Khan-Younis Brigade, had been killed in the air strike. Both were described as "masterminds of the October 7 massacre" on Israeli soil.
Previously, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz had reported that the army believed that the head of the so-called Qassam Brigades was among the casualties. However, Hamas denied in a statement that there had even been an Israeli attack on their leadership near the city of Khan Younis in the southern coastal region.
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, according to the health authority controlled by Hamas.
Israel's Army: No tents in targeted area
The Israeli army contradicted the statements of the Gazan health authority. "The attack was carried out in a fenced area controlled by Hamas, in which, according to our information, only Hamas terrorists and no civilians were present," the army said. "It was a precise attack." It was suspected that most of the casualties were also terrorists.
The targeted object was located on open ground, surrounded by trees, several buildings, and trailers. There were reportedly no tents on the site. The Israeli military stated that it was also very reliable that no Israeli hostages were present at the time of the attack in the object.
However, it was reported from the Palestinian side that Israeli forces had hit tents of refugees. Many of the injured Palestinians were reportedly critical, according to medical sources in the Gaza Strip.
The statements could not be independently verified at first.
Hospital cannot accommodate all the wounded
One of Israel's goals 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 in the Gaza Strip. In March, the army announced the killing of the third-highest Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Marwan Issa.
According to reports from the Palestinian news agency Wafa, there were several heavy 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.
Insider: Negotiations for ceasefire interrupted
Meanwhile, negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip have been interrupted according to reports from Egypt. Two insiders told the news agency Reuters that the talks were suspended until Israel shows sincerity. Previously, the Egyptian channel Al Qahira News TV reported, citing an insider, that Egypt accused Israel of delaying the negotiations.
- Despite Hamas' denial of an attack on their leadership in Khan Younis, Israel's Army maintains that they only targeted a fenced area controlled by Hamas, where only terrorists were present, according to their information.
- The Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip resulted in the death of at least 90 people, as reported by Palestinian sources, and over 300 injuries in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, controlled by Hamas.
- The ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip have been halted, as reported by Egyptian sources, due to Israel's alleged delay in showing sincerity towards the peace talks.
