Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Sunday that Abu Obeida, the prominent spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing, the Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City over the weekend. The strike, part of a new military offensive launched on Friday, targeted Obeida as Israel continues its campaign to dismantle Hamas’ leadership and prevent attacks similar to the October 7, 2023, assault, which saw 1,200 people killed and 251 abducted, mostly civilians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at a weekly cabinet meeting, noted the absence of a Hamas response to the strike, saying, “I hope he is no longer with us, but I notice there is no one addressing this question on the Hamas side.” Obeida’s last statement, issued on Friday, claimed Hamas fighters were prepared to engage Israeli forces as Gaza City was declared a combat zone. Hamas has yet to confirm or deny Israel’s claim of Obeida’s death.
The airstrike, which targeted an apartment in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, resulted in significant civilian casualties. Local hospitals reported at least 43 Palestinians killed since Saturday, with Shifa Hospital, the largest in the territory, receiving 29 bodies, including 10 individuals killed while seeking humanitarian aid. On Sunday morning, an additional 11 fatalities were reported, with Al-Awda Hospital noting that seven were civilians attempting to access aid. Witnesses described chaos in the Netzarim Corridor, an Israeli-controlled zone dividing Gaza, where troops allegedly opened fire on crowds. “We were trying to get food, but we were met with the occupation’s bullets. It’s a death trap,” said Ragheb Abu Lebda from Nuseirat, who witnessed at least three people wounded by gunfire.
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The Israeli military has intensified operations around Gaza City and the Jabaliya refugee camp, with increased airstrikes targeting coastal areas. The army’s Arabic-language spokesperson has urged residents to evacuate south, but many of the hundreds of thousands still in Gaza City remain, citing exhaustion from repeated displacements or skepticism about safety elsewhere. The United Nations reports that 65,000 Palestinians have fled their homes since August 1, with 23,199 displaced in the past week alone. Over 90% of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents have been displaced at least once since the war began, often multiple times, living in makeshift shelters under dire conditions.
The Gaza Health Ministry, considered a reliable source by the UN and independent experts, reported that 63,371 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, with roughly half being women and children. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government but staffed by medical professionals, also noted 215 adult deaths from malnutrition-related causes since late June and 124 child deaths from similar causes since October 2023. Seven additional malnutrition-related deaths were reported on Sunday. Israel disputes these figures but has not provided alternative casualty estimates.
Israel’s recent actions, including plans for new infrastructure in southern Gaza and signals of potential aid reductions to Gaza City, have raised concerns among Palestinians about forced displacement. The Netzarim Corridor, a focal point of violence, has become increasingly dangerous, with reports of civilians killed near UN convoys or aid distribution sites managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed US contractor. Neither the foundation nor the Israeli military has commented on Sunday’s casualties.
As Israel presses its offensive to neutralize Hamas’ military capabilities, the targeting of figures like Abu Obeida underscores its strategy to eliminate key operatives. However, the high civilian toll and worsening humanitarian crisis continue to draw international scrutiny, with the UN and rights groups accusing Israel of actions that may constitute war crimes. The conflict, now nearing its second year, shows no signs of abating, leaving Gaza’s population grappling with loss, displacement, and starvation.
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