Over 70 killed by Israeli attacks on Khan Younis, target of Hamas commander

2024-07-13 15:31:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Over 70 killed by Israeli attacks on Khan Younis, target of Hamas commander

Aftermath of an Israeli strike at a tent camp in Al-Mawasi area in Khan Younis

More than 70 people were killed after Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, as Israeli forces launched an operation to kill one of the Hamas commanders, Mohammed Deif, who is believed to be the mastermind of last year's October 7 attack on the Jewish state. During the attack in southern Israel, about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 more were taken hostage. The attack was the reason for the beginning of the conflict in Gaza.

Israeli forces announced that they had carried out airstrikes in southern Gaza with the aim of eliminating one of the commanders of the militant group Hamas, Mohammed Deif. The country's military officials said it was still unclear whether Deif had been killed or not.

Meanwhile, local officials of the Ministry of Health in Gaza controlled by the militant group announced that the Israeli attacks caused the death of 70 people and dozens of wounded.

Deif is believed to be the mastermind behind the October 7 attack in Israel that killed more than 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages. He topped Israel's most wanted list for years and is believed to have escaped numerous assassination attempts in the past.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the Hamas commander was among the casualties, but a spokesman for the militant group in Beirut told the AP news agency that the Israeli claims were baseless.

Gaza's Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, said at least 289 people were wounded in the attack and that many of the victims were taken to nearby Nasser Hospital. Associated Press reporters said they had counted more than 40 bodies.

"We were sitting in that area. It was violently hit by the Israeli army with seven to eight rockets. This was a safe area, we all moved here from Jabaliya", says a witness.

Other witnesses also said the attack took place in an area declared safe by Israeli forces, stretching from northern Rafah to Khan Younis. The coastal strip is where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought safety, sheltering mostly in makeshift tents.

According to an Israeli official, the attack was carried out inside a besieged area in Khan Younis that was run by Hamas, but did not give details on the exact location.

The latest bloody attack comes as US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators continue talks with Israel and Hamas on a three-phase ceasefire agreement that would include the release of hostages in Gaza.

Israel launched the military campaign in Gaza after the Hamas attack on October 7, during which the militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping around 250 others.

Since then, Israeli ground offensives and bombings have killed more than 38,300 people in Gaza and injured more than 88,000, according to the territory's Ministry of Health. The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in the figures it provides.

More than 80% of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have fled their homes, and most are facing dire conditions and food shortages.

The head of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres appealed again to give funding to the UN agency that helps Palestinian refugees.

According to him, the agency has funds to continue the work until the month of August. Mr. Guterres criticized Israel for forcing Palestinians to move, as he said, repeatedly through destroyed areas and facing death./VOA