Israel targets masterminds of Oct. 7 airstrike; Gaza authorities say dozens killed | World News

An Israeli airstrike targeted the mastermind of the October 7 attack, a security official said. According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, dozens of people were killed in the attack.

Authorities in the besieged enclave have said the attack on the southern city of Khan Younis left at least 71 people dead and another 290 injured, reportedly hitting tents belonging to refugees fleeing the city. The conflict.

The local hospital said it was overwhelmed and “no longer operational” due to the high number of victims.

It is unclear whether Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif and another senior militant leader, Rafa Salama, who was also targeted in the attacks, were killed.

Israel said the outcome of the attack was still being verified.

Israel’s army radio station said Deif was hiding in a building in the Israeli-designated al Mawasi humanitarian zone, which stretches from northern Rafah to Khan Younis, where many civilians have sought shelter from the fighting.

But Hamas A statement said: “These false allegations are merely intended to cover up the extent of the gruesome massacre.”

She described the attack as a “serious escalation” and proof that Israel was not interested in a ceasefire while mediators in Doha were pushing for an agreement.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held special consultations in light of “developments in the Gaza Strip,” his office said.

Deif was the mysterious commander behind Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel last October, which ended the devastating war in Gaza.

Over the course of 30 years, he rose through the ranks of Hamas’ aid organization, developed the group’s tunnel network and bomb-making expertise, and is blamed for the deaths of dozens of Israelis in suicide attacks.

He has survived seven Israeli assassination attempts, the most recent in 2021, and has been at the top of the most wanted list for decades.

Footage from Saturday’s airstrike shows ambulances racing to the scene amid clouds of smoke, dust and charred rubble as people ran away in panic.

The victims were carried away on the hoods of cars, on donkey carts and on carpets that served as makeshift stretchers.

Witnesses said the attack came as a surprise as the area was quiet.

One woman said tearfully: “They are all gone, my whole family is gone… where are my brothers? They are all gone, they are all gone. There is no one left.”

“Our children are devastated, they are devastated. Shame on you.”

On October 7, Hamas insurgents entered southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and abducting about 250 hostages.

Read more:
“The Guest”: Who is the elusive Hamas commander?
News agencies demand access to the Gaza Strip

Israel responded with an offensive in the Gaza Strip that killed more than 38,300 people in the besieged enclave, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.

The count does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have sought safety in tent camps in the center and south of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli restrictions, fighting and the breakdown of law and order are hampering humanitarian aid, leading to widespread hunger and fuelling fears of famine.

The United Nations’ top court has ordered Israel to take measures to protect Palestinians while it investigates genocide allegations against Israeli politicians. Israel denies the charges.