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    Israel Targets Top Hamas Commanders in Gaza Airstrike

    nephilaBy World News Vids 5 Mins Read

    These terrorist commanders are being picked off faster and faster.

    Muhammad Deif, the elusive commander of Hamas’s military wing, and another top commander were targeted in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip early Saturday, the Israeli military announced.

    Deif and Rafa’a Salameh were hit with large munitions while above ground in a low building between the al-Mawasi area and Khan Younis, not in a tunnel. Hamas claimed the strike resulted in over 90 fatalities.

    The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) assessed that no hostages were present at the site when the strike occurred. As of 8 p.m., Deif’s fate remained uncertain, though defense sources suggested an increasing likelihood that he had been killed.

    Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesperson, condemned the strike, calling Israeli allegations “nonsense” and accusing Israel of trying to justify a “horrifying massacre.” He asserted that all casualties were civilians and labeled the event as a severe escalation backed by American support and international silence. Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’s deputy leader, later denied that Deif was dead, proclaiming that Deif was listening and mocking Israeli claims.

    Al-Mawasi is designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone. The IDF stated that the strike targeted a fenced-off Hamas compound, not a tent camp for displaced Palestinians. Several dozen Hamas operatives, including Deif and Salameh’s guards, were reportedly in the vicinity when the site was targeted. However, images from Gaza depicted bodies of children and elderly individuals among the casualties.

    Deif, aged 58, has led the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades for over two decades and was a key architect of the October 7 attack on Israel, the deadliest in the country’s history, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken to Gaza.

    Salameh, the commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, was also likely killed in the strike, according to IDF assessments. Salameh had been Deif’s close associate and acting deputy following the assassination of the previous deputy commander.

    The targeted compound belonged to Salameh and was located around 500 meters from the furthest point the IDF advanced to in Khan Younis earlier this year. Deif had recently reached the compound, which the IDF confirmed through intelligence overnight before carrying out the airstrike around 11 a.m. on Saturday.

    The IDF believed its intelligence about Deif’s presence at the site was highly accurate, though as of Saturday night, they could not fully confirm his death. The military anticipated that Hamas might attempt to conceal Deif’s death for some time.

    The al-Mawasi and western Khan Younis areas are part of an Israeli-designated humanitarian zone, housing most of Gaza’s population. The IDF insisted that the strike was precise, targeting only the fenced-off Hamas site. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported at least 90 killed and 300 wounded in the strike, with many casualties likely being Hamas operatives, according to the IDF.

    Footage on social media showed Palestinians digging through rubble, searching for survivors. Deif has been on Israel’s most-wanted list since 1995, involved in numerous terror attacks, including bus bombings in the 1990s and early 2000s. He survived at least seven assassination attempts, with some causing severe injuries or killing family members.

    Following Saturday’s strike, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held an assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement reiterating his directive to eliminate senior Hamas officials.

    If confirmed, Deif’s death would mark the most senior Hamas official killed by Israel in the ongoing conflict.

    Major Points

    • Muhammad Deif and Rafa’a Salameh were targeted in an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza, with over 90 reported fatalities.
    • The IDF believes no hostages were present at the site, with Deif’s fate still uncertain as of Saturday night.
    • Hamas condemned the strike, calling it a massacre, and denied Deif’s death, asserting he was alive and mocking Israeli claims.
    • The targeted site was in a designated humanitarian zone but was a fenced-off Hamas compound, not a camp for displaced Palestinians.
    • Deif has been a key figure in Hamas for decades, surviving multiple assassination attempts and being a top target for Israel.

    Conner T – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News

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