Gaza, Palestine – Seven Palestinians were killed on Thursday in two Israeli airstrikes targeting the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Among the dead was a senior commander in the military wing of Hamas, a source within the movement told Reuters.
The source said one of the dead was Muhammad al-Hawli, who held a leadership position in Hamas’s military wing in Deir al-Balah. The source indicated that the two strikes targeted separate locations in the city. So far, there has been no official comment from the Israeli military or Hamas regarding the details or objectives of the operation.
In a statement, Hamas condemned the airstrike that targeted the al-Hawli family home, calling it a “blatant and repeated violation of the ceasefire agreement” and accusing Israel of deliberately seeking to undermine the agreement. This comes as a prelude to resuming large-scale military operations in the Gaza Strip. The statement did not explicitly mention Muhammad al-Hawli or his role within the movement.
Health officials in Gaza reported that among the six other fatalities was a 16-year-old boy. Several wounded individuals were transferred to hospitals for treatment, amidst a severe shortage of medical resources.
These airstrikes come amid a fragile ceasefire that went into effect in October 2015. Israel and Hamas continue to trade accusations of violating its terms. Reports indicate that more than 400 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been killed since the truce began.
Humanitarian organizations say the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, as Israeli military operations have devastated large swaths of the territory. The majority of the population, which numbers over two million, has been forced to live in temporary shelters or damaged buildings. Furthermore, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported that more than 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire began, some in drone attacks.
Israel launched its war on Gaza following an attack by Palestinian factions led by Hamas in October 2013. According to Israeli figures, the war resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people. However, health authorities in Gaza say the Palestinian death toll since then has reached approximately 71,000.
