An Israeli airstrike on Saturday resulted in the death of at least 90 Palestinians in a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza, according to the enclave's health ministry. The attack, which targeted Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, marks one of the deadliest incidents in Gaza in recent weeks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the attack aimed at Deif, although it remained uncertain whether Deif and another Hamas commander were killed. "Either way, we will get to the whole of the leadership of Hamas," Netanyahu declared in a news conference, vowing to continue military pressure on the group to improve chances of a hostage deal.
Hamas denied the claims of Deif's death. A senior Hamas official on Al Jazeera TV stated that Israeli assertions were false and aimed at justifying the deadly attack. The strike, which occurred in the Al-Mawasi area, a designated humanitarian zone, has been described by witnesses as devastating. Displaced residents reported tents torn down by the blast, with bodies and body parts scattered on the ground.
Sheikh Youssef, a displaced resident of Gaza City, recounted the chaos, "I left the tent and looked around, all the tents were knocked down, body parts, bodies everywhere, elderly women thrown on the floor, young children in pieces."
The Israeli military stated that the strike also targeted Rafa Salama, the commander of Hamas' Khan Younis Brigade. Both Deif and Salama were described as key figures behind the October 7 attack on southern Israel, which ignited the ongoing conflict. Deif has been a top target for Israel, surviving seven previous assassination attempts.
The Gaza health ministry reported that the strike left 300 people injured, making it the deadliest toll in weeks. Al-Mawasi, designated as a humanitarian area by the Israeli army, had been repeatedly urged by the Israeli army as a safe zone for Palestinians following evacuation orders from other areas. Footage showed ambulances racing through clouds of smoke and dust, while displaced people, including women and children, fled in panic.
The Israeli military published an aerial photo of the site, claiming it was an operational compound run by Hamas and not a tent complex. An Israeli military official described the area as surrounded by trees, several buildings, and sheds, where several militants were reportedly guarding Deif.
Hospital officials at Nasser Hospital, overwhelmed by the influx of wounded, reported being unable to function due to the intensity of the Israeli offensive and severe shortages of medical supplies. "The hospital is full of patients, it's full of wounded, we can't find beds for people," said Atef al-Hout, the hospital's director.
Negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal, underway in Doha and Cairo, were reportedly halted after three days of intense talks. Egyptian security sources cited internal discord among Israeli mediators. Meanwhile, Netanyahu affirmed his adherence to the framework presented by U.S. President Joe Biden.
A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council stated that Israel had informed the United States about targeting senior Hamas officials. The Biden administration is in touch with Israeli officials to learn more about the reported civilian casualties.
In Israel, protests continued as demonstrators rallied in Tel Aviv and outside Jerusalem, demanding the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Ayala Metzger, a protester and the daughter-in-law of an Israeli hostage, expressed mixed feelings about the strike, "Maybe it's good, maybe it's not good. I don't know about Mohammed Deif, I know that keeping the war is bad for all of us. We need to bring the hostages back."
Separately, at least 20 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli attack on a prayer hall at a Gaza camp for displaced people in west Gaza City. Critics accuse Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, a charge Israel denies, characterizing its actions as self-defense to prevent another attack like that of October 7. The Gaza health ministry reports over 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military actions since then.
