MUWASI, Gaza Strip — Hamas mentioned Sunday that Gaza cease-fire talks proceed and the group’s navy commander is in good well being, a day after the Israeli navy focused Mohammed Deif with a large airstrike that native well being officers mentioned killed at the least 90 individuals, together with kids.
Deif’s situation remained unclear after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Saturday evening “there nonetheless isn’t absolute certainty” he was killed. Hamas representatives gave no proof to again up their assertion in regards to the well being of a chief architect of the Oct. 7 assault that sparked the battle.
The Israeli navy introduced Sunday that Rafa Salama, a Hamas commander it described as certainly one of Deif’s closest associates, was killed in Saturday’s strike. Salama commanded Hamas’ Khan Younis brigade. The assertion gave no replace on Deif, who has lengthy topped Israel’s most-wanted checklist and has been in hiding for years.
Hamas rejected the concept mediated cease-fire discussions had been suspended after the strike. Spokesperson Jihad Taha mentioned “there is no such thing as a doubt that the horrific massacres will impression any efforts within the negotiations” however added that “efforts and endeavors of the mediators stay ongoing.”
The killing of Deif would mark the best profile assassination of any Hamas chief by Israel because the battle started. It will be an enormous victory for Israel and a deep psychological blow for the militant group. Netanyahu mentioned all of Hamas’ leaders are “marked for loss of life” and asserted that killing them would transfer Hamas nearer to accepting a cease-fire deal.
Hamas political officers insisted that communication channels remained purposeful between the management inside and out of doors Gaza after the strike within the territory’s south. Witnesses mentioned it occurred in an space that Israel had designated as secure for lots of of 1000’s of displaced Palestinians. Israel’s navy wouldn’t affirm that.
On Sunday, some survivors had been offended that the assault focusing on Deif occurred with out warning in an space that they had been advised was secure.
“The place are we speculated to go?” requested Mahmoud Abu Yaseen, who mentioned he heard two strikes and clutched his kids, then wakened within the hospital to seek out his son had died. The household had already been displaced 5 instances because the battle started, he mentioned.
A United Nations official described utter chaos at Nasser hospital the place victims had been taken, many handled on bloodstained flooring with few provides obtainable.
“I witnessed a number of the most horrific scenes I’ve seen in my 9 months in Gaza,” Scott Anderson mentioned in a press release. “I noticed toddlers who’re double amputees, kids paralyzed and unable to obtain therapy and others separated from their mother and father.” He mentioned restrictions on humanitarian help to Gaza hamper efforts to supply wanted medical and different care.
On Sunday, Israeli Protection Minister Yoav Gallant praised the pilots who carried out the strike and mentioned Hamas is being eroded each day, with no capacity to arm itself, arrange or “take care of the wounded.”
At the least 300 individuals had been wounded within the strike, one of many deadliest within the nine-month battle sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, and took greater than 200 hostage.
Greater than 38,400 individuals in Gaza have been killed in Israeli floor offensives and bombardments since then, in line with the territory’s Well being Ministry. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians in its rely.
On Sunday, an Israeli strike in Nuseirat in central Gaza killed at the least 14 individuals on the gate of a faculty used as a shelter for displaced individuals, in line with an Related Press journalist who visited two hospitals. Kids had been among the many 15 others wounded. Israel’s navy in a press release mentioned it struck “terrorists” working within the space of a faculty run by the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees.
Additionally on Sunday, police mentioned a Palestinian resident of east Jerusalem carried out a car-ramming assault in central Israel that injured 4 Israelis, two of them critically. Israeli border police on the scene shot lifeless the attacker after he hit individuals ready at two bus stops alongside a busy highway. Israel’s navy mentioned 4 of its personnel had been wounded, two of them severely.
Israel Commissioner Kobi Shabtai mentioned such assaults had been typically “triggered” by occasions like Saturday’s airstrike in Gaza.
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Lidman reported from Jerusalem. Related Press author Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed.
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Discover extra of AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
