Hamas said Sunday that Gaza cease-fire talks continue and the group害羞草研究所檚 military commander is in good health, a day after the Israeli military targeted Mohammed Deif with a massive airstrike that local health officials said killed at least 90 people, including children.
Deif害羞草研究所檚 condition remained unclear after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday night 害羞草研究所渢here still isn害羞草研究所檛 absolute certainty害羞草研究所� he was killed. Hamas representatives gave no evidence to back up their assertion about the health of a chief architect of the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war.
The Israeli military on Sunday announced that Rafa Salama, a Hamas commander it described as one of Deif害羞草研究所檚 closest associates, was killed in Saturday害羞草研究所檚 strike. Salama commanded Hamas害羞草研究所� Khan Younis brigade. The statement gave no update on Deif, who has long topped Israel害羞草研究所檚 most-wanted list and has been in hiding for years.
Hamas rejected the idea that mediated cease-fire discussions had been suspended after the strike. Spokesperson Jihad Taha said 害羞草研究所渢here is no doubt that the horrific massacres will impact any efforts in the negotiations害羞草研究所� but added that 害羞草研究所渆fforts and endeavors of the mediators remain ongoing.害羞草研究所�
The killing of Deif would mark the highest profile assassination of any Hamas leader by Israel since the war began. It would be a huge victory for Israel and a deep psychological blow for the militant group. Netanyahu said all of Hamas害羞草研究所� leaders are 害羞草研究所渕arked for death害羞草研究所� and asserted that killing them would move Hamas closer to accepting a cease-fire deal.
Hamas political officials insisted that communication channels remained functional between the leadership inside and outside Gaza after the strike in the territory害羞草研究所檚 south. Witnesses said it occurred in an area that Israel had designated as safe for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. Israel害羞草研究所檚 military would not confirm that.
On Sunday, some survivors were angry that the attack targeting Deif occurred without warning in an area they had been told was safe.
害羞草研究所淲here are we supposed to go?害羞草研究所� asked Mahmoud Abu Yaseen, who said he heard two strikes and clutched his children, then woke up in the hospital to find his son had died. The family had already been displaced five times since the war began, he said.
A United Nations official described utter chaos at Nasser hospital where victims were taken, many treated on bloodstained floors with few supplies available.
害羞草研究所淚 witnessed some of the most horrific scenes I have seen in my nine months in Gaza,害羞草研究所� Scott Anderson said in a statement. 害羞草研究所淚 saw toddlers who are double amputees, children paralyzed and unable to receive treatment and others separated from their parents.害羞草研究所� He said restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza hamper efforts to provide needed medical and other care.
On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the pilots who carried out the strike and said Hamas is being eroded every day, with no ability to arm itself, organize or 害羞草研究所渃are for the wounded.害羞草研究所�
At least 300 people were wounded in the strike, one of the deadliest in the nine-month war sparked by Hamas害羞草研究所� Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 hostage.
More than 38,400 people in Gaza have been killed in Israeli ground offensives and bombardments since then, according to the territory害羞草研究所檚 Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.
On Sunday, an Israeli strike in Nuseirat in central Gaza killed at least 13 people at the gate of a school, according to Associated Press journalists at Al-Awda hospital. Israel害羞草研究所檚 military in a statement said it struck 害羞草研究所渢errorists害羞草研究所� operating in the area of a school run by the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.
Also on Sunday, police said a Palestinian resident of east Jerusalem carried out a car-ramming attack in central Israel that injured four Israelis, two of them seriously. Israeli border police at the scene shot dead the attacker after he hit people waiting at two bus stops along a busy road. Israel害羞草研究所檚 military said four of its personnel were wounded, two of them severely.
Israel Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said such attacks were often 害羞草研究所渢riggered害羞草研究所� by events like Saturday害羞草研究所檚 airstrike in Gaza.
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Lidman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.
Wafaa Shurafa And Melanie Lidman, The Associated Press
