Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida killed in Gaza, Israel says

[ad_1] Abu Obeida, the spokesman for Hamas's armed wing, has been killed in an air strike in Gaza Metropolis, Israel has stated.

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz congratulated the Israel Protection Forces (IDF) and Israel's safety company, Shin Wager, for the "flawless execution" in a submit on X.

He gave no element on the time or location of the operation, however the IDF earlier stated its plane attacked "a key terrorist" within the al-Rimal neighbourhood on Saturday, prompting studies in Israeli media that Obeida had been the goal.

Hamas has not confirmed his demise. The Palestinian armed group earlier stated dozens of civilians had been killed and injured in Israeli strikes on a residential constructing within the district.

Katz warned on Sunday that many extra of Obeida's "legal companions" can be focused with "the intensification of the marketing campaign in Gaza" - a reference to a not too long ago permitted Israeli plan to grab management of Gaza Metropolis.

Individually, the IDF and Shin Wager supplied extra particulars about Saturday's strikes that focused the Hamas spokesman.

They stated in a joint assertion that the operation had been "made attainable on account of prior intelligence gathered by [Shin Bet] and the IDF's Intelligence Directorate" that had recognized his hiding place.

Obeida was among the many few remaining senior members of Hamas's army wing from earlier than its lethal 7 October 2023 assault on southern Israel.

5 missiles struck the second and third ground of the six-storey condominium within the al-Rimal neighbourhood constructing concurrently from two totally different instructions.

The flat that was focused had been used as a dentist's surgical procedure. Witnesses reported seeing lots of of hundreds of {dollars} flying within the air after the strikes, with massive sums stolen by locals however later recovered by Hamas.

The joint assertion stated Obeida "served as the general public face of the Hamas terrorist group" and "disseminated Hamas' propaganda".

Over the previous few years, Obeida - believed to be about 40 years previous - delivered various lengthy diatribes towards Israel on behalf of Hamas's army wing, the al-Qassam Brigades.

At all times masked in a Palestinian scarf, he grew to become an idol to Hamas supporters all through the Center East.

In what might have been his closing speech on Friday, Obeida stated the destiny of remaining Israeli hostages can be the identical as that of Hamas fighters, warning Israel towards its deliberate invasion of Gaza Metropolis.

Native journalists reported that at the least seven individuals had been killed and 20 injured within the strikes on the densely populated al-Rimal neighbourhood, with youngsters among the many casualties.

Mohammed Emad, who runs a barbershop simply 100m (328ft) from the location, instructed the BBC that "the blasts had been terrifying - I could not transfer for greater than an hour".

He added: "I am unable to imagine I am nonetheless alive. I noticed injured youngsters with blood overlaying their faces, and other people had been operating in each course as if the world had ended."

Footage verified by the BBC of the aftermath of the strikes exhibits terrified residents fleeing into the streets.

Blood may be seen flowing from a physique lined by material, whereas an injured youngster is carried away by a person.

The IDF stated that previous to the assault "many steps had been taken to cut back the possibility of harming civilians, together with the usage of precision weapons, aerial observations, and extra intelligence data".

BBC Information has been unable to independently confirm the claims of both the IDF or Hamas.

In early August, Israel's safety cupboard permitted a plan to grab management of Gaza Metropolis in a recent offensive, with the said purpose of bringing the 22-month-long battle to an finish.

The UN has repeatedly warned {that a} full army takeover would threat "catastrophic penalties" for Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The UK's ambassador to Israel has stated it might be "an enormous mistake".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to defeat Hamas and defied worldwide criticism of his plans to broaden the battle.

Israel's army operation in Gaza started in response to the Hamas-led 7 October assault, through which about 1,200 individuals had been killed and 251 others had been taken hostage. Since then, greater than 63,000 Palestinians have been killed, in response to the Hamas-run Gaza well being ministry.

Whereas the operation to seize Gaza Metropolis has but to start in earnest, Israeli assaults on town - the place almost one million individuals stay - have been ongoing.

One native resident instructed the BBC that the identical condominium constructing struck on Saturday had already been hit in an earlier Israeli air raid months in the past.

The Israeli army has stated it plans to evacuate Gaza Metropolis's complete inhabitants and transfer it to shelters within the south earlier than troops transfer in. Most of Gaza's inhabitants has already been displaced many occasions in the course of the battle.