Israeli Airstrike Claims Life of Gaza's Police Chief: Interior Officials Confirm
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Gaza, Jan 3 (NationPress) The interior authorities in Gaza have reported that Mahmoud Salah, the director-general of the police department, lost his life in an Israeli airstrike targeting the southern Gaza Strip.
In an official statement, the interior authorities expressed their condolences over the loss of Salah and Hussam Shahwan, who served as the head of Hamas' Internal Security in southern Gaza, noting that they were killed while "fulfilling their humanitarian and national duties in supporting the Palestinian people."
The Israeli military had previously announced that it successfully targeted Hussam Shahwan in a drone strike during the night, which occurred in a humanitarian zone located in Khan Younis, where many displaced Palestinians have taken refuge, according to reports from the Xinhua news agency.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza, communicated to Xinhua that the Israeli army was responsible for the deaths of at least 11 Palestinians in an assault on tents situated in the Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis.
Israel has been engaged in a significant military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip as a response to a Hamas incursion through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, which resulted in roughly 1,200 fatalities and approximately 250 hostages taken.
According to health authorities in Gaza, the number of Palestinian fatalities from the ongoing Israeli assaults has reached 45,581 as reported in a statement released on Thursday.
Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a firm warning, asserting that Israel would amplify its military actions in Gaza if Hamas does not come to an agreement regarding the release of hostages "soon."
In a public declaration, Gallant stated that should Hamas not allow for the release of Israeli hostages, the group would encounter "strikes of a magnitude not witnessed in Gaza for a considerable time." He underscored that Israel's military would "escalate and intensify" its operations against militant strongholds in Gaza until the hostages are released and Hamas is "neutralized."
Hamas is aiming to extend the truce, while Israel maintains its right to resume military operations if it perceives a threat to its security. Another contentious issue is Hamas's demand for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, which Israel opposes, citing the necessity for a continued military presence to uphold security measures.
