Israeli airstrikes kill at least 10 in southern Gaza

Palestinian doctors said an Israeli airstrike killed at least 10 people and wounded 15 in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday.

The strike hit a tent camp housing displaced families in al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis town.

Among those killed were Gaza police chief Mahmoud Salah and his aide Hussam Shahwan, officials said.

Israel warned on Wednesday that it will intensify attacks on Hamas if the militant group continues to hold hostages it took in October 2023 and launch rockets at Israel.

“I want to send a clear message from here to the terrorist bosses in Gaza: if Hamas does not soon allow the release of the Israeli hostages from Gaza … and continues to fire on Israeli communities, they will face blows of an intensity we have not seen in Gaza for a long time,” said Israel’s defense minister. Katz.

The Gaza war began with an attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. About 100 hostages are being held in Gaza, and at least one-third are believed to be dead.

Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza has killed at least 45,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 108,000, according to the enclave’s health ministry. In its counting, the Ministry does not differentiate between militants and civilians.

The war leveled vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of its 2.3 million people.

The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and others have designated Hamas a terrorist organization.

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.