JERUSALEM — An Israeli official has confirmed that Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’ military wing, was the target of Saturday’s Israeli strike in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement, said Rafa Salama, another top Hamas official, was also targeted in the strike.
The official did not have details on whether the two targets were killed.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
The Gaza Health Ministry said 71 people were killed in an Israeli attack Saturday in the south of the war-stricken enclave.
The ministry said 289 others were injured in the attack that struck the Khan Younis area. It said that many of the injured and dead were taken to nearby Nasser Hospital.
At the hospital, Associated Press journalists counted over 40 bodies and witnesses there described an attack that included several strikes.
It remains unclear if the attack landed inside Muwasi, an Israeli-designated humanitarian zone, which stretches from northern Rafah to Khan Younis. The coastal strip is where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have fled to in search of safety, sheltering mostly in makeshift tents.
Israel launched its campaign in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250.
Since then, Israeli ground offensives and bombardments have killed more than 38,300 people in Gaza and wounded more than 88,000, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. More than 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been driven from their homes, and most are now crowded into squalid tent camps, facing widespread hunger.
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The Health Ministry in Gaza has reported a staggering 71 fatalities in the Israeli assault on the southern Gaza Strip. This devastating news comes as tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Palestine, leading to a significant loss of life and destruction in the region.
The Health Ministry in Gaza has been working tirelessly to provide medical assistance to those injured in the assault, but the sheer number of casualties has overwhelmed the healthcare system. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of patients, many of whom are in critical condition and in need of urgent medical attention.
The Israeli assault on the southern Gaza Strip has caused widespread devastation, with homes destroyed, infrastructure damaged, and families displaced. The violence has taken a heavy toll on the civilian population, with innocent men, women, and children bearing the brunt of the conflict.
The international community has condemned the Israeli assault on Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire and a return to peaceful negotiations. The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the escalating violence and the high number of civilian casualties, urging both sides to exercise restraint and work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The Health Ministry in Gaza is calling for urgent assistance from the international community to help provide medical supplies, equipment, and personnel to treat the wounded and save lives. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening by the day, and immediate action is needed to prevent further loss of life and alleviate the suffering of those affected by the conflict.
As the death toll continues to rise in Gaza, it is imperative that all parties involved in the conflict prioritize the protection of civilians and respect international humanitarian law. The violence must end, and a lasting peace must be achieved through dialogue, diplomacy, and a commitment to upholding human rights and justice for all.
