An Israeli airstrike on Thursday killed at least 10 people and injured 15 others in southern Gaza, according to Palestinian medical officials.
The strike targeted a tent camp housing displaced families in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis. Among the dead were Gaza police chief Mahmoud Salah and his aide, Hussam Shahwan, Palestinian officials said.
The airstrike came a day after Israel warned of intensified military action if Hamas continues to hold hostages and launch rockets into Israeli territory.
“I want to send a clear message to the heads of the terrorists in Gaza: If Hamas does not soon allow the release of the Israeli hostages from Gaza and continues firing at Israeli communities, it will face blows of an intensity not seen in Gaza for a long time,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Wednesday.
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a large-scale attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. At least 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with approximately one-third believed to be dead.
Israel’s counteroffensive has killed at least 45,500 Palestinians and injured more than 108,000, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The figures include both militants and civilians, as the ministry does not distinguish between the two in its reports.
The ongoing conflict has devastated Gaza, leveling large sections of the territory and displacing 90% of its 2.3 million residents.
