Israeli Airstrike Hits Gaza Ahead Of Eid, New Hamas Military Chief Targeted

Gaza: Israeli fighter jets bombed Gaza City twice at midnight on Tuesday. At least three people died and 12 were seriously injured in the attack. People busy preparing for Bakrid ran out of their homes as soon as they heard the explosions. Many buildings turned into debris in no time. There was nothing left in the streets except dust, debris and screaming.

Who did Israel target?

The Israeli army claims that the target of this attack was Mohammed Odeh, the new commander of Hamas's military wing. According to the army, Odeh was the mastermind of the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that the action was taken following "accurate intelligence."

What did Israel say in its statement?

Israel described Odeh as a "dangerous terrorist." It was clearly written in the statement that Odeh had a direct hand in carrying out attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers. The Netanyahu government bluntly said that every person involved in the October 7 attack will be held accountable. This war will continue for a long time. However, Israel has still maintained silence on whether Odeh was killed or escaped.

Is this the second major attack in two weeks?

Just two weeks ago, Israel had killed Hamas military chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad. After Hadad, the command came to the hands of Mohammad Odeh. But Israel did not give him a chance to settle down. Within 14 days, the two biggest commanders of Hamas were targeted. It is clear from this that Israel is continuously pursuing the strategy of breaking the back of Hamas.

How bad is the current situation in Gaza?

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 72 thousand Palestinian civilians have been killed since October 2023. On the other hand, on October 7, 2023, about 1,200 Israelis were killed in the Hamas attack and 250 people were taken hostage. Today a large part of Gaza has been turned into ruins. No beds, no medicines in hospitals. Schools are broken. There is no electricity or water for weeks. People are spending days in tents and broken buildings. There are lines for food and new corpses emerge every day. This attack, which happened just before Bakrid, took away the remaining hope of the festival.

What will happen next?

Israel's position is clear: the attacks will not stop. Only time will tell whether the new commander of Hamas will survive or not. But every new day is becoming more difficult for the common people in Gaza. The humanitarian crisis is deepening and there is no sign of peace at the moment.