Death toll in Israeli strike on Khan Younis rises to 90: health authorities

Gaza’s Ministry of Health confirmed that at least 90 people were killed and 300 others were injured, including some critically wounded.

The Israeli military claimed in a statement that it acted based on “precise intelligence” to hit an area where “two senior Hamas terrorists” and additional fighters hid among civilians. It described the location of the strike as “an open area surrounded by trees, several buildings, and sheds”.

In a subsequent news conference, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the two Hamas officials targeted were the group’s military chief, Mohammed Deif, and senior Hamas commander, Rafa Salama. He added it was not immediately clear if either were killed.

“Either way, we will get to the whole of the leadership of Hamas,” the Israeli leader noted.

Hamas has said Deif and Salama were not killed in the attack and has called the premise of Israel’s assault “false”. It added it was not the first time the Israeli military has made such claims that were later proven false.

“The al-Mawasi massacre in Khan Younis has been committed against an area that is crowded with more than 80,000 displaced people. This is an obvious and clear confirmation from the Zionist government that it will continuing its war of extermination against our Palestinian people, through repeatedly and systematically targeting the defenceless displaced civilians in tents, shelters and residential neighbourhoods,” Hamas announced in a statement.

Last month, Israeli forces killed at least 274 Palestinians in central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp during a daylight operation to free four Israeli captives.

Gaza’s health ministry announced on Saturday that at least 38,443 Palestinians have been killed and 88,481 people have been injured in Israel’s war on the besieged enclave.