Israel conducted a major airstrike in southern Gaza on Saturday, July 13th, 2024, targeting Muhammad Deif, the top Hamas military commander in Gaza and leader of Hamas’ military wing, Qassam Brigades. The strike was part of an ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. According to six senior Israeli officials, Deif was considered one of the architects of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Deif is the most senior Hamas official in Gaza Strip to be targeted by Israel amid this ongoing war. The strike also targeted Rafa Salameh, the leader of Hamas forces in Khan Younis. However, it is unclear whether Deif and Salameh were killed in the attack.
Israel had been monitoring Salameh for weeks before striking his location on Saturday, in hopes that Deif would show up there. Israel believed Deif was present at the compound on Saturday, and intelligence indicated that Deif couldn’t spend extended time underground due to health problems caused by multiple failed assassination attempts.
Israel received confirmation weeks ago that Salameh was present at the compound in Al-Mawasi area. The IDF delayed the strike in hope that Deif would join Salameh at the designated humanitarian zone. However, Israel did not yet have ‘absolute clarity’ as to whether Deif had been killed.
The strike took place in an area designated as a humanitarian zone, and it resulted in at least 90 deaths, half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry also reported that 300 people were wounded.
Hamas claimed that Israel’s allegations about targeting leaders were false and accused Israel of carrying out a ‘horrific massacre’ against civilians. However, security officials have said many of those killed were Hamas operatives, with the strike conducted in a fenced-off area used by the organization.
The UN Human Rights Office reported that the IDF struck a makeshift mosque in Al Shati camp, west Gaza City, without a prior warning. At least 22 people were killed in this strike. The spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defense Mahmoud Basal told CNN that the bombing happened ‘in the middle of the noon prayer.’ He added that all the injuries are serious cases and required amputation operations.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in a significant loss of life and property damage. The international community is calling for an immediate ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
