Hamas Elite Unit Commander Killed, Says Israel Army As Militant Group Claims 344 Deaths In Gaza — Updates

Israel army said on Saturday that Hamas elite unit commander Ali Qadi has been killed in an airstrike.

Israel-Gaza War: As the war between Israel and Hamas continues on the eighth day, Israeli army said on Saturday that Hamas elite unit commander Ali Qadi has been killed in an airstrike. According to Israel, Ali Qadi led a unit of commando forces that gunned down civilians in last week's attack on southern Israel.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted on X, "Ali Qadi led the inhumane, barbaric October 7 massacre of civilians in Israel. We just eliminated him. All Hamas terrorists will meet the same fate."

Meanwhile, the Hamas-controlled health ministry has said that Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have claimed at least 324 lives in the past 24 hours alone, including 126 children, as reported by news agency AFP.  Among those killed, there were 88 women. The ministry further said that 1,018 were wounded over that period.

According to news agency AP, an agreement has been reached to allow foreigners to exit Gaza through the Rafah border crossing later today. A senior Egyptian official has said that Egypt, Israel and the United States have agreed to allow foreigners in Gaza to pass through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.

Earlier, the Israeli Ministry had shared a horrifying video showing children apparently taken hostage by the Palestine-based group. The Israeli Ministry shared the video on X.

“You can see their injuries,hear their cries and feel them trembling from fear as these children are held hostage in their own homes by Hamas terrorists and their parents lie there dead in the next room. These are the terrorists that we are going to defeat,” Israeli Ministry said.

In the video, apparently circulated by Hamas, a militant can be seen pacifying a crying infant in a stroller. A member could be seen bandaging the ankle of a baby. However, the deaths of the parents claimed by the IDF have not been verified, and there is no confirmation regarding the identities of the children as of now.

Meanwhile, Israel Defence Forces on Saturday confirmed that Hamas militants have held 120 civilians hostage in the Gaza Strip as the battle continues on the eighth day. Hamas had earlier threatened Israel that it would kill captives if the latter did not stop violent actions in Gaza. The Jewish country reacted saying the hostage situation will not make things better for the Palestinian militant group. The war so far claimed the lives of 3,200 people and wounded another 3,000 so far.