Israeli strikes kill 90 in southern Gaza Strip Including top Hamas commander

Palestinian health officials have said that at least 90 people were killed and hundreds injured in Israeli airstrikes on the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis on July 14.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated the operation was intended to eliminate two top Hamas leaders, including Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas' military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Palestinian health authorities have denounced the attack as a "massacre," exacerbating the already fragile cease-fire discussions taking place in Cairo and Doha.

Hamas deputy chairman in Gaza, Khalil Al-Hayya, dismissed claims that the strike targeted Deif, calling it a "ridiculous justification" for attacking civilians in a statement broadcast on Al Jazeera.

Video footage from Reuters depicted scenes of chaos and desperation. Men, women, and children were seen fleeing from a large smoke plume, carrying the injured in their arms or on makeshift stretchers. Among the distressing scenes, a woman cried out, "They’re all gone, my whole family’s gone. Where are my brothers? They’re all gone, they’re all gone. There’s no one left."

IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari, during a press conference on July 14, stated the attack targeted a Hamas compound surrounded by trees, buildings, and sheds, rather than a tent complex. He confirmed the presence of senior military commanders Deif and Rafa Salama in the area but withheld further details on the intelligence and the confirmed results of the strike.

This incident has significantly hindered cease-fire negotiations and intensified regional tensions, with both sides trading accusations and calls for accountability.