In a significant military operation on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed targeting two senior Hamas leaders, Mohammed Deif and Rafa’a Salameh, in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip.
In a significant military operation on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed targeting two senior Hamas leaders, Mohammed Deif and Rafa’a Salameh, in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip. Deif, the commander of Hamas’s military wing and the alleged mastermind of the October 7 massacre, and Salameh, the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade, were reportedly in a low building located between the al-Mawasi area and Khan Younis at the time of the strike.
According to the Gaza health ministry, the attack resulted in 71 fatalities and nearly 300 injuries. However, it remains uncertain whether Deif was among those killed.
𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴| 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲
An Israeli official has confirmed to Europost that Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’ military wing, was the target of Saturday’s Israeli strike in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, resulting in his death. The official, speaking on… pic.twitter.com/p9yxzzTNRb
🔴תיעוד ממקום החיסול של מוחמד דף🔴
תיעוד ממקום ההפצצה - ישראל השתמשה בעשרות טונות של פצצות - ולקחה בחשבון מאות הרוגים ערבים
ישראל לא התלבטה כמו במבצע קטיף כלניות אם להטיל טון או רבע טון, ולא שינה כמות ההרוגים בצד הערבים - לא לקחו פה סיכונים שמוחמד דף ישאר בחיים https://t.co/tQQ1ganyVu pic.twitter.com/LHYhmcdTcX
🔴תקיפה חריגה של צה״ל - ניסיון חיסול של מוחמד דף - באזור הבטוח מערבית חאן יונס🔴
צה״ל תוקף באזור הבטוח במואסי מערבית לחאן יונס עם לפחות 5 טילים מדויקים מאוד - עשרות הרוגים ומעל 100 פצועים
דיווחים בישראל כי יעד התקיפה הוא ראש החמאס מוחמד דף וראפע סלאמה, מח"ט חאן יונס pic.twitter.com/bZImYShnzj
Military sources indicated that the strike took place in a civilian environment but clarified that it was not within a tent camp for displaced Palestinians. Several dozen Hamas operatives, including guards, were also present in the area when the strike occurred. Despite the proximity to the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone encompassing al-Mawasi and western Khan Younis, the IDF asserted that the airstrike was precise and solely targeted the Hamas site.
The IDF’s assessments suggest no Israeli hostages were present at the location during the strike. However, the military is still awaiting intelligence confirmation on whether Deif and Salameh were killed.