Israeli strikes on al-Mawasi kill at least 90 Palestinians

An Israeli airstrike targeted Hamas' military chief Mohammed Deif in Gaza on Saturday, a security official and Israel Army Radio said, in an attack that the enclave's health ministry said had killed at least 90 Palestinians.

It was unclear whether Deif was killed, the security official said. Army Radio said Deif was hiding in a building in the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone Al-Mawasi, west of the southern city of Khan Younis.

Deif was one of the masterminds of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. He has survived seven Israeli assassination attempts, the most recent in 2021, and has topped Israel's most-wanted list for decades.

The Gaza health ministry said at least 90 Palestinians had been killed in the strike and 289 injured.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was holding special consultations, his office said, in light of "developments in Gaza". It was unclear how the strike would affect ceasefire talks underway in Doha and Cairo.

The Hamas-run media office said at least 100 people had been killed and wounded, including members of the Civil Emergency Service. The Israeli military said it was looking into the report.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reiterated in a statement via his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric that the war in Gaza must end.

Dujarric said that Guterres is “shocked and saddened” by the Israeli air raids that killed at least 90 Palestinians in al-Mawasi.

“The [Israeli military] stated that they were targeting two senior members of Hamas,” the statement said. “The Secretary General underlines that international humanitarian law including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack must be upheld at all times.”