Israeli Protection Minister Israel Katz introduced Sunday {that a} spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing, Abu Obeida, was killed in Gaza over the weekend.
Obeida’s final assertion was on Friday as Israel started the preliminary phases of a brand new army offensive in Gaza Metropolis, declaring the realm a fight zone. Hamas has not commented on Israel’s declare.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier stated Israel had attacked Obeida, the longtime spokesperson for Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, however didn’t know whether or not he had been killed.
“I do discover there is no such thing as a one addressing this query on the Hamas facet,” Netanyahu informed ministers at a weekly cupboard assembly.
Obeida is the most recent Hamas consultant focused and killed by Israel because it makes an attempt to dismantle the group’s army capability and forestall an assault like Oct. 7, 2023, when militants kidnapped 251 folks and killed round 1,200 folks, principally civilians.
Israel has assassinated lots of Hamas’ prime army and political management.
A ‘dying lure’
A minimum of 43 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday, most of them in Gaza Metropolis, in line with native hospitals. Shifa Hospital — the territory’s largest — stated 29 our bodies had been dropped at its morgue, together with 10 folks killed whereas in search of support and others struck throughout town.
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On Sunday morning, hospital officers reported 11 extra fatalities from strikes and gunfire. Al-Awda Hospital stated seven of them have been civilians making an attempt to achieve support.
Witnesses stated Israeli troops opened hearth on crowds within the Netzarim Hall, an Israeli army zone that bisects Gaza.
“We have been making an attempt to get meals, however we have been met with the occupation’s bullets,” stated Ragheb Abu Lebda, from Nuseirat, who noticed not less than three folks bleeding from gunshot wounds. “It’s a dying lure.”
The hall has develop into more and more perilous, with civilians killed whereas approaching U.N. convoys overwhelmed by looters and determined crowds, or shot on their method to websites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Basis, an Israeli-backed U.S. contractor. Neither the inspiration nor the Israeli army responded to questions on Sunday’s casualties.
Malnutrition and displacement
Israel has for weeks been working on the outskirts of Gaza Metropolis in addition to the Jabaliya refugee camp to arrange for the preliminary phases of its offensive, which it introduced on Friday. Its army has since intensified its air assaults in coastal areas of town, together with Rimal.
Its Arabic-language military spokersperson has urged the a whole lot of hundreds of Palestinians nonetheless in Gaza Metropolis to flee south, however solely tens of hundreds have performed so. Many say they’re too exhausted after repeated displacements or unconvinced that wherever is safer.
The United Nations says roughly 65,000 Palestinians have fled their houses since Aug. 1, together with 23,199 up to now week. Many reside in non permanent shelters after a number of displacements. Greater than 90 % of the two.1 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced not less than as soon as throughout the warfare, and plenty of a number of instances, in line with the U.N.
Israel has introduced new infrastructure tasks in southern Gaza and signaled that support to Gaza Metropolis could possibly be lower — steps Palestinians say quantity to pressured displacement.
Israel has for weeks been working on the outskirts of Gaza Metropolis in addition to the Jabaliya refugee camp. It additionally intensified its air assaults within the coastal areas of town.
Seven Palestinian adults died of causes associated to malnutrition and hunger within the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, the territory’s well being ministry reported Sunday.
That has introduced the dying toll from malnutrition-related causes to 215 since late June when the ministry began to depend fatalities amongst this age class, it stated.
One other 124 youngsters died of malnutrition-related causes for the reason that begin of the warfare in October 2023, the ministry stated.
A minimum of 63,371 Palestinians have died in Gaza throughout the warfare, stated the ministry, which doesn’t say what number of are fighters or civilians however says round half have been ladies and youngsters.
The ministry is a part of the Hamas-run authorities and staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and impartial consultants take into account it probably the most dependable supply on warfare casualties. Israel disputes the figures however has not offered its personal.
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