Gaza Watch: Israel Targets Hamas Military Chief; Officials Report 71 Killed in Strike

An Israeli airstrike targeted Hamas military chief, Mohammed Deif, in Gaza on Saturday, according to a security official and Israel Army Radio. The health ministry in Gaza reported that the attack resulted in the deaths of at least 71 Palestinians.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated it was unclear whether Deif was killed or not. According to Army Radio, Deif was hiding in a building within Al-Mawasi, a humanitarian zone designated by Israel, located west of the southern city of Khan Younis.

Deif was one of the masterminds behind Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which ignited the ongoing conflict in Gaza. He has survived seven Israeli assassination attempts, the most recent being in 2021, and has been at the top of Israel’s most-wanted list for decades.

The United Nations and various Middle Eastern countries have condemned Israel after its military attacked a designated humanitarian safe zone in Gaza.

Witnesses described the attack as a surprise, noting that the area had been calm and that multiple missiles were fired. Among the wounded being evacuated were rescue workers.

“They’re all gone, my whole family’s gone… Where are my brothers? They’re all gone, they’re all gone. There’s no one left,” said one tearful woman.

“Our children are in pieces, they are in pieces. Shame on you,” she added.

Since October 7, Israel’s war on Gaza has resulted in at least 38,443 deaths and 88,481 injuries. The Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7 caused an estimated 1,139 deaths in Israel, with dozens of people still held captive in Gaza.