Hamas on Tuesday confirmed the death of a high-ranking member in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, according to a report by the Times of Israel. In an official statement, Hamas announced that Ayman Nofal, a prominent member of the group's General Military Council and the head of its military wing's Central Gaza Brigade, was killed in an airstrike that targeted the Bureij refugee camp, as per the report.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF), confirming the news, posted on X (formerly Twitter): "We just eliminated Ayman Nofal, a senior Hamas operative. Nofal was the Commander of Hamas’ Central Brigade in Gaza and the former Head of Military Intelligence. Nofal directed many attacks against Israeli civilians and besides being one of the most dominant figures in the terrorist organization, he was involved in the planning of the abduction of Gilad Shalit. We won't stop until we eliminate Hamas."
Netanyahu Accuses Hamas Of Using Civilians As 'Shields':
During a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised concerns about the safety of civilians in the ongoing conflict. He accused Hamas of committing double war crimes by not only targeting civilians but also using them as human shields, a contentious issue that has heightened regional tensions.
UN Warns Israel Against 'Forcible Transfer' Of Gazans:
Earlier in the day, the UN warned Israel against the "forcible transfer of civilians" in Gaza, which could violate international law.
According to the UN human rights office, a legal temporary evacuation of civilians imposes obligations on Israel, which the Geneva-based agency claims it has made no attempt to meet.
Israel has ordered residents of northern Gaza to flee to the south in order to clear the area of civilians in preparation for a dangerous urban ground assault.