JAKARTA - Israel's airstrikes at a hospital in Gaza on Sunday killed five people, including a Hamas political leader, Palestinian medics and Hamas said, in an attack Israel said it had targeted a key figure in the militant group.
Gaza's Ministry of Health said the attack hit the surgical department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, quoted by Reuters March 24.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said its attacks followed extensive intelligence and used appropriate ammunition to minimize damage at the site.
On the other hand, Palestinian militant group Hamas said a member of his political office, Ismail Barhoum, had died.
Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, confirmed its target was Barhoum. The military did not name the target, which it describes as "a major terrorist" in Hamas.
Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV said Barhoum was being treated at the hospital due to his injuries in the previous attack.
Videos on social media showed a burning fire on the third floor that appeared to be a hospital. Reuters could not immediately verify the footage.
Israel says Hamas has systematically infiltrated hospitals, schools, and shelters, which the group denies.
After two months of relative calm in the war, Gazans fled again to flee after Israel effectively canceled the ceasefire, launching an all-new air and land campaign against Hamas last Tuesday.
Another Hamas leader, Salah al-Bardawiel, was killed in a separate attack on Khan Younis, Hamas said earlier. The Israeli military confirmed it had killed Bardaweel on Saturday.
Both Bardaweel and Barhoum are members of the 19-member Hamas decision-making body, political bureaus, 11 of whom have died since the start of the war at the end of 2023, according to Hamas sources.
The Israeli military signaled it could step up its actions further, saying on Sunday one of its divisions that had been operating in Lebanon, where Israel fought against Iran-backed Hamas allies, Hezbollah, was preparing for possible action in Gaza.
At least 45 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Rafah and Khan Younis so far on Sunday, health authorities said.
Palestinian officials on Sunday said the death toll from the conflict that lasted nearly 18 months reached more than 50,000 people.
The Israeli military claims they are doing their best to reduce losses to civilians and question the death toll given by health authorities in the Hamas-controlled territory.
Most of the victims killed in Gaza were civilians, according to health officials. Israel says they include about 20,000 fighters. Hamas did not disclose the number of victims.
Last Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the purpose of the war was to destroy Hamas as a military and government entity, as Israel returned to launch an attack on Gaza. A day later, Israel launched a ground operation in the Palestinian enclave. Israel said the purpose of this new operation was to force the group to hand over the remaining hostages.
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Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued an evacuation warning for residents in the Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood in western Rafah.
The military said troops had surrounded Tel Al-Sultan to dismantle "locations of terror infrastructure and eliminate terrorists in the area," to strengthen control and expand security zones in southern Gaza.
It said the army allowed the evacuation of civilians from the combat zone via organized routes for their safety.
Hamas accused Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement that had been in effect since January 19, but said it was still willing to negotiate a ceasefire and was studying proposals from US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
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