By Hamdi Yildiz
GAZA (AA) : Twelve people were killed, including women and children, and 20 others injured in airstrikes carried out early Tuesday in residential areas in Gaza by the Israeli military, working with Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service.
The casualties were announced by the Health Ministry in Gaza. Also among the dead, Dr. Jamal Khaswan, the Chairperson of the Administrative Board of Al-WAFA Hospital.
In a statement, the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, said three members of its leadership and their wives and children were killed in the strikes.
They included the group’s senior leader Tareq Izzeldeen, commander Khalil Bahitini and Jahed Ahnam, the secretary-general of the group’s military council.
The movement expressed its sorrow over the deaths of its members.
In a statement, Islamic Jihad spokesperson Tariq Silmi said “all options and scenarios are open to the resistance forces in response to the crimes of the occupation forces.”
“The resistance will not stop until the occupation is over,” said Silmi, adding it “will avenge the martyr leaders.”
Hamas movement leader Ismail Haniyeh echoed Silmi’s statement, saying Israel made a mistake in its operation and will pay the price.
“The assassination of leaders through a treacherous operation will not provide security for the occupation (Israel) itself. On the contrary, it will further increase the resistance,” said Haniyeh.
Earlier, the Israeli army announced Operation Shield and Arrow after launching airstrikes against Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip. It said it targeted the movement’s leadership.
The Israeli army said the strikes on Gaza came almost a week after dozens of shells were reportedly fired from the Gaza Strip, following the death of Islamic Jihad member Khader Adnan, 45, who died on May 2, at an Israeli prison after 87 days of hunger strike demanding his freedom as he was held under Administrative Detention orders without charges or trial.
On May 3, a Palestinian man, Hashel Mubarak Salman Mubarak, 58, was killed by Israeli missiles in the Shati refugee camp northwest of Gaza City.
Names of Palestinians who were confirmed dead in the Shifa Medical Center in Gaza City published by imemc.org:
- Tareq Ibarhim Ezzeddin.
- Ali Tareq Ibrahim Ezzeddin.
- Mayar Tareq Ibarhim Ezzeddin.
- Khalil Salah Al-Bahtini.
- Hagar Khalil Salah Al-Bahtini.
- Laila Majdi Mustafa Al-Bahtini.
- Yousef Jamal Saber Khaswan.
- Dr. Jamal Saber Mohammad Khaswan.
- Mervat Saleh Mohammad Khaswan.
- Dania Ala’ Ata Adas.
- Jihad Ghannam, 62.
- Wafa’s Shadid Ghannam (Jihad’s wife)
Palestinians Names of Palestinians who were confirmed dead in the Abu Yousef Najjar Hospital in Rafah:
11. Jihad Abdul-Hafeth Ghannam.
12. Wafa Shadid Ghannam.
*Writing by Servet Gunerigok
Additional report by imemc.org
[Photo: Damaged residential buildings bombed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, Gaza on May 09, 2023. Photojournalist :Ali Jadallah/AA]
