ISLAMABAD: The Israeli military has claimed responsibility for the assassination of Murad Abu Murad, a senior Hamas military commander, purportedly leading the group’s aerial operations in Gaza City.
The Israeli military announced that they killed Murad in airstrikes targeting an operational center of Hamas, responsible for its “aerial activity.” However, Hamas has not officially confirmed the reported killing.
As a result of Hamas initiating a cross-border attack, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have caused a significant loss of life. The territory’s health ministry reports that at least 1,900 people, including 614 children, have lost their lives, and 7,696 people have sustained injuries in the seven days of airstrikes.
Following Israel’s warning of a possible ground offensive against Hamas, thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have relocated to southern areas, after Israel issued a notification for over a million people to evacuate the north.
The United Nations has stated that the Israeli military issued warnings to more than 1.1 million people in the north of Gaza, instructing them to move to the south “within the next 24 hours.”
Escalating Tensions and Humanitarian Crisis
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a warning, stating that the intense bombardment witnessed in the past week is only the initial phase of Israel’s response against Hamas, whose fighters have reportedly caused the death of more than 1,300 Israelis.
Israeli ground forces have reported conducting “localized” raids into Gaza within a 24-hour timeframe, with the aim of eliminating terrorists and weaponry.
Hamas, on the other hand, has reportedly taken around 150 Israeli, foreign, and dual national hostages, according to Israel’s claims. The group stated on Friday that 13 of these hostages had been killed in Israeli air strikes.
Simultaneously, US President Joe Biden has emphasized that addressing the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza is of utmost importance.
