The Israeli Air Force on Saturday said that it had killed Ali Qadhi, the Hamas commander and leader of the group's 'Nukhba' commando force, who led the unprecedented and brutal attack on Israel that claimed hundreds of lives.
Qadhi was eliminated in a drone strike as part of joint intelligence efforts by the Shin Bet security agency and the Military Intelligence Directorate. "Based on precise IDF and ISA intelligence, IAF aircraft killed Ali Qadi, a company commander of the Hamas "Nukhba" commando force, who led the terror attack in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip last weekend," it said on X.
The Air Force said that Qadhi was arrested by Israel in 2005 for the kidnapping and murder of Israelis and was released to the Gaza Strip as part of the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange initiative. Qadhi is the second senior Hamas leader to be killed by Israeli forces in 24 hours.
Earlier today, the Israeli Air Force announced that they had eliminated Murad Abu Murad, the head of Hamas' aerial wing, in overnight strikes on the Gaza Strip. "Last night, IAF fighter jets conducted wide-scale strikes throughout the Gaza Strip. These included dozens of Hamas terror targets as well as “Nukhba” terrorist operatives that were in a staging ground in the Gaza Strip," it tweeted.
According to the Air Force, Abu Murad was "largely responsible" for the brutal and unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas militants that has killed hundreds of people. It claimed that Abu Murad had directed the militants to launch last week's attack.
It also said that a terrorist cell had attempted to infiltrate Israel from Lebanon, and that "a number of terrorists" were killed in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strike.
The Israel-Hamas war
The week-long war has already claimed over 3,500 lives on both sides and sent tensions soaring across the region. The death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza rose to 2,215 people have been killed in the territory, including 724 children and 458 women, the Palestinian health ministry said. On the other hand, over 1,300 people have died in Israel from the Hamas attack since last week.
Israeli tanks and artillery have already approached the Gaza border in anticipation of a possible ground offensive. IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said that they are "getting ready for the next stage of operations."
The relentless Israeli strikes over the past week have leveled large swaths of neighborhoods, magnifying the suffering of Gaza, which has also been sealed off from food, water and medical supplies, and under a virtual total power blackout. Israel's evacuation order has been criticised by many organisations, including the UN and WHO.
Meanwhile, an agreement has been reached between the United States, Egypt and Israel to allow foreigners in Gaza to pass through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt after an ultimatum issued by Israel for 1.1 million Palestinians to evacuate to southern Gaza flared up tensions.
Additionally, US State Secretary Antony Blinken during his visit to Qatar on Saturday said that they are working on setting humanitarian corridors to save the lives of civilians suffering due to the war.
"As Israel pursues legitimate right to defend its people and to try to ensure this never happens again. It is important that all of us look out for civilians, and we're working together to do exactly that. In particular, working on establishing safe areas in Gaza, working on establishing corridors so that humanitarian assistance can reach people who need it," he said.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian says militant groups in Lebanon are “fully ready” to respond to any move by Israel. He warned that if Hezbollah is involved, the war will expand to other regions of the Middle East and Israel would feel "a huge earthquake".
Israel has called up some 360,000 reserves and massed troops and tanks along the border with Gaza, but no decision has been announced on whether to launch a ground offensive. It conducted some ground raids in Gaza on Friday.
(with agency inputs)
ALSO READ | Israeli military kills Abu Murad, head of Hamas aerial wing, 'largely responsible' for deadly attack
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