An Israeli airstrike killed at least 71 Palestinians in a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza on Saturday, the enclave’s health ministry reported. The attack, which targeted Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, has become the deadliest Israeli assault in Gaza in weeks.
The strike also targeted Rafa Salama, commander of Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade. The Israeli military stated that both men were key figures in the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, which ignited the nine-month war in Gaza.
The aftermath of the attack left displaced residents in the Al-Mawasi area devastated. Sheikh Youssef, a Gaza City resident currently displaced, described scenes of tents obliterated and bodies scattered. “I couldn’t even tell where I was or what was happening,” he recounted. Footage from Reuters showed ambulances rushing amid smoke and dust, with panicked civilians fleeing the area.
Despite Israeli claims that the target was an operational Hamas compound, Hamas disputed these, calling the allegations false and accusing Israel of using them to justify the attack.
The Gaza health ministry confirmed that 71 Palestinians were killed and 289 injured. Many of the wounded, including women and children, were transported to the Nasser Hospital, which has been overwhelmed and is struggling with severe shortages of medical supplies.
The airstrike’s impact on ongoing ceasefire talks in Doha and Cairo remains uncertain. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant convened special consultations in response to the situation. Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official condemned the attack, claiming it demonstrated Israel’s disinterest in a ceasefire deal. Additionally, another 17 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli attack on a prayer hall at a Gaza camp, exacerbating the region’s turmoil.
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