Israel’s military says it was targeting a Hamas commander in a strike on a refugee camp in Gaza in which dozens of people died.
Apartment buildings in the Jabalia refugee camp were levelled by the airstrike, which the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) say killed Ibrahim Biari, the commander of Hamas’s Central Jabaliya Battalion.
Biari was one of the leaders of the massacres in Israel on 7 October and had also been the “main leader” of Hamas’s combat operations since Israeli forces entered Gaza, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said.
According to officials at Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital, more than 50 Palestinians were killed and 150 wounded in the Israeli airstrike.
Follow live: ‘Dozens killed’ in refugee camp blast
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The IDF released this picture of Ibrahim Biari
In a statement, the IDF said: “A short while ago, IDF fighter jets, acting on ISA intelligence, killed Ibrahim Biari, the Commander of Hamas’ Central Jabalia Battalion. Biari was one of the leaders responsible for sending ‘Nukbha’ terrorist operatives to Israel to carry out the murderous terror attack on October 7th.”
Rear Admiral Hagari said during the news conference that the targeting of the office building where Biari was based led to the collapse of other buildings.
Speaking in Hebrew, Rear Admiral Hagari said: “The purpose of that infrastructure was to carry out terrorist activities against our forces. The entire infrastructure collapsed and many terrorists were killed.”
He added: “Hamas terrorists continue to use the civilian population as human shields intentionally and in a very cruel and brutal manner.”
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IDF footage from Gaza ground operation
Rear Admiral Hagari said Israel will continue to operate with “full force” in Gaza City and repeated calls for people in the Palestinian territory to move south.
It comes after Israel said its forces have attacked Hamas gunmen inside the militant group’s vast tunnel network beneath Gaza.
After the first successful rescue of a hostage held by Hamas, Israeli forces appeared to push further into the territory.
In other key developments: A British teacher trapped in Gaza was told by the UK Foreign Office it “can’t do anything more”; Urgent ceasefire in Gaza is a “matter of life and death for millions”, UN official says Sir Keir Starmer says a ceasefire could leave Hamas “emboldened” More than 420 children are being killed or injured in Gaza each day, UNICEF has said 81 seriously injured Gazans to go to Egypt for treatment Brother of Hamas victim says she was a ‘pure angel’.
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Hamas claims to show IDF clashes
Hamas has so far released four civilians from the 240 hostages Israel says it captured during the militant group’s attack on 7 October – with many thought to be held in the tunnel network.
Rear Admiral Hagari said during his news conference that the Israeli military is “exerting every effort to bring all the hostages back home”.
Meanwhile, the IDF has released footage it claims shows its ground operations in Gaza, while Hamas shared a purportedly showing its fighters clashing with Israeli forces.
Rear Admiral Hagari also said Israel had intercepted a surface-to-surface missile launched from the “Red Sea” area at Israel. He said the interception marks Israel’s first use of its Arrow air defence system during its war with Hamas.
The missile was aimed at Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat and is believed to have been launched by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, according to Israeli media reports.
