Tensions have escalated in Gaza following reports of an Israeli strike targeting a high-ranking Hamas military figure, alongside a series of raids across the territory. The incidents have resulted in the deaths of at least 23 Palestinians, according to sources in Gaza.
Israeli media outlets, citing security sources, claim the military targeted Alaa al-Hadidi, allegedly a senior logistics officer within Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades. The reported assassination occurred amidst broader Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military has also announced the killing of two armed individuals in the Rafah area during what they described as underground search operations. Furthermore, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement that was in place earlier today.
A statement from Netanyahu’s office alleged that Hamas militants infiltrated territory under Israeli control to attack soldiers. The statement further claimed that Hamas had sent dozens of fighters across ceasefire lines to assault Israeli forces. They also accused the group of executing Palestinian civilians within Gaza.
Medical sources in Gaza report that the 23 Palestinian fatalities resulted from Israeli airstrikes targeting various locations, including civilian vehicles and residential buildings. Reports indicate that the recent strikes hit a civilian car and four homes.
Hamas has condemned the Israeli military’s expansion of its control within Gaza as a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement. The group has called upon mediators and the US administration to intervene and prevent what they describe as attempts by Tel Aviv to undermine the agreement.
Reports indicate that Israeli airstrikes targeted a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, as well as the vicinity of the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque west of Deir al-Balah. Medical sources confirm casualties from strikes in Deir al-Balah.
The situation remains highly volatile, with both sides trading accusations of ceasefire violations. The international community is closely monitoring the developments, urging de-escalation and a return to the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
