Israel conducts deadly airstrike targeting Hamas' top military leader
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Palestinians inspect the aftermath of the Israeli strike in Khan Yunis. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty
Israel conducted an airstrike in a designated humanitarian area in southern Gaza on Saturday which the Israel Defense Forces said targeted the commander of Hamas' military wing and the official Palestinian news agency said killed 71 people and injured nearly 300.
The big picture: The target was Hamas' top military commander, Mohammed Deif, whom Israeli officials say was one of the primary masterminds of the Oct. 7 attacks. The IDF is trying to confirm whether he was killed, a senior officer said in a briefing with reporters.
- The strike took place around noon local time on Saturday in the al-Mawasi humanitarian area in Khan Younis, where displaced Palestinian civilians had been urged to seek shelter.
- The latest: The IDF and Israeli intelligence said Sunday that commander of Hamas' Khan Younis brigade, Rafah Salama, was killed in the airstrike. They have not confirmed whether Deif was killed.
Zoom in: The IDF officer said Israel had intelligence that Deif — Hamas' second-most senior overall leader — was hiding in an above-ground compound.
- The officer said Israel was not aware of any hostages being held in the compound, which the officer claimed was near the area housing displaced civilians but separated from it.
- Images from the scene show a large crater and numerous casualties. Israeli officials say the IDF dropped five 2,000-lb. bombs on the compound.
- Hamas denied Deif was targeted and said Israeli falsely claimed to have struck its military commanders as a pretext for "another massacre."
- More than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
What they're saying: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a press conference on Saturday that killing Deif would advance Israel's goal of destroying Hamas and send a message to Iran and its proxies — though he stressed there was no confirmation Deif had been killed.
- Asked of Al Jazeera whether Hamas will suspend negotiations for a hostage and ceasefire deal —talks the White House had said were getting closer to completion — the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau Khalil al-Haia said "all options are open" but stressed the group will not play into Netanyahu's hands.
- Al-Haia denied Deif was killed and said: "Mohammed Deif heard what Netanyahu said and laughed from all the lies."
- A senior Israeli official said Mossad Director David Barnea is planning to travel to Doha next week to continue the talks.
- Netanyahu said the U.S. wasn't notified in advance of the assassination attempt because Israel didn't want to risk potential leaks. "We notify the Biden administration when we need to, and when we don't need to we don't."
Context: Israel has tried to assassinate Deif, one of the founders of Hamas' military wing, multiple times over the years.
- He has been seriously wounded in previous attempts and Israeli intelligence had been unsure prior to last year whether he was actively leading operations or serving more as a figurehead.
- It was only after the Israeli military started its ground operation in Gaza that it found evidence, including videos, that Deif was in good medical condition and in active command.
Go deeper: Israel toughens Gaza ceasefire demands just as optimism for deal growing
