Israel says Hamas commander killed in Rafah strike that UN company alleges hit its web site

Israel mentioned on Wednesday that its airstrike on a UN meals distribution centre in southern Gaza killed a Hamas commander whom it focused. Palestinian well being officers mentioned it additionally killed 4 extra individuals, together with a UN employee.

The Israeli army mentioned the strike killed Mohammad Abu Hasna, whom it described as a Hamas militant who supplied intelligence to the group on Israeli troops’ positions and was “additionally concerned in taking management of humanitarian support and distributing it to Hamas terrorists.”

In an announcement, Hamas mentioned Abu Hasna was a member of its police drive, and condemned his killing as a “cowardly assassination” meant to disrupt support distribution.

Hamas recognized one other of the 5 killed as the pinnacle of an emergency committee for Rafah, Nidal al-Sheikh Eid.

The primary UN company for Palestinians (UNRWA) mentioned one in all its amenities had been hit in Rafah, an space in southern Gaza the place greater than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants is sheltering.

No less than one UNRWA workers member was among the many 5 killed and 22 others had been injured, the company mentioned, and the power’s coordinates had been shared with the Israeli army.

“At the moment’s assault on one of many only a few remaining UNRWA distribution centres within the Gaza Strip comes as meals provides are operating out, starvation is widespread and, in some areas, turning into famine,” mentioned UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini.

Hamas has denied Israel’s accusations that it diverts meals support and says Israel is utilizing famine to strain the Palestinian inhabitants.

Israeli PM desires UN company changed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned on Wednesday he was decided to have UNRWA changed by different businesses with out harming support distribution, citing alleged hyperlinks between the company and Hamas militants.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned at a information briefing that he had not but acquired particulars of the incident, however mentioned Israel should defend the security of humanitarian employees regardless of powerful circumstances.

“You are in a battle zone. You’ve got a terrorist group that’s firing from hospitals, from faculties, from condominium buildings, however the Israeli army, the Israeli authorities, have a duty and an obligation to do every little thing potential to make sure that the humanitarians can do their jobs.”

With the battle now in its sixth month, the UN has warned that at the least 576,000 individuals in Gaza — one-quarter of the inhabitants — are getting ready to famine. International strain has been rising on Israel to permit extra entry to the enclave.

On Tuesday, the UN used a brand new land path to ship meals to northern Gaza for the primary time in three weeks.

“Now we have been taking efforts to facilitate extra support into northern Gaza,” Israeli authorities spokesperson Tal Heinrich advised journalists on Wednesday. “This was a pilot to forestall Hamas from taking up the help as they usually do.”

Air-dropped support

The U.S., Jordan and others have performed airdrops of support in Gaza. On Tuesday a ship carrying 200 tonnes of support left Cyprus in a pilot undertaking to open a sea hall to ship provides. Whereas UN officers have welcomed new support routes, they confused there isn’t any substitute for land entry.

The battle started when Hamas fighters attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 individuals and seizing 253 hostages, in accordance with Israeli tallies. Israel then launched an air, sea and floor assault that has killed greater than 31,000 Palestinians, Gaza well being authorities say.

Violence has since additionally risen within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution, with stepped-up Israeli army raids and Palestinian road assaults.

On Wednesday, Israeli officers mentioned a 15-year-old Palestinian boy stabbed a soldier and a guard at a checkpoint between the West Financial institution and Jerusalem earlier than being shot lifeless.

In separate incidents, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians throughout a raid in Jenin, the official Palestinian information company WAFA mentioned, whereas a 13-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli forces on the outskirts of Jerusalem, in what Israeli police described as a violent riot.