Israel strikes Hamas military commander, Gaza officials say 71 dead. It was unclear whether Mohammed Deif was killed, security officials said. Army Radio reported he was hiding in a building in the Israeli-designated al-Mawasi humanitarian area in the Gaza Strip.
An Israeli airstrike targeted Gaza-Strip Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif on Saturday, security officials and Israeli Army Radio reported. At least 71 Palestinians were killed in the attack, according to the exclave's health ministry.
It was unclear whether Deif was killed, security officials said. Army Radio said Deif was hiding in a building in the Israeli-designated al-Mawasi humanitarian area west of the southern city of Khan Yunis.
Deif was one of the masterminds of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war. He has survived seven Israeli assassination attempts in 2021 and has remained at the top of Israel's list of most wanted criminals for decades.
The Gaza Ministry of Health said the attack killed at least 71 Palestinians and injured 289.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant is holding special consultations in light of "developments in the Gaza Strip," his office announced. It is unclear how the attack will affect ongoing ceasefire talks in Doha and Cairo.
A Hamas-run news agency said at least 100 people were killed or wounded, including members of a civilian emergency service. The Israeli army said it was examining the report.
A senior Hamas official would not confirm whether Deif was present and called the Israeli accusations "nonsense."
"The martyrs were all civilians and what happened was a serious escalation of a genocidal war, aided by American support and global silence," Abu Zuhri told Reuters, adding that the attack showed Israel was not interested in a ceasefire.
Raid "astonishing," witnesses say
Reuters footage showed ambulances rushing to the scene amid a cloud of smoke and dust. Refugees, including women and children, panicked, some clutching their belongings.
Witnesses said the attack came as a surprise as the area was quiet, adding that multiple rockets were fired. Rescue workers were among the injured who fled.
"Everybody is gone, my whole family is gone... Where are my brothers?" "Everybody's gone, everybody's gone. There's no one left," said a tearful woman, who did not give her name.
"Our children have been ripped apart, torn apart. It's shameful," she added.
Deif rose through Hamas' ranks over three decades, developing the group's network of tunnels and bomb-making expertise. He was allegedly responsible for killing dozens of Israelis in a suicide bombing.
According to Israel, Hamas-led militants carried out a cross-border raid in southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.
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