Israeli Airstrike in Khan Younis Kills Hamas Commanders in Humanitarian Zone

The IDF reported secondary explosions at the site, which they attributed to stored weapons, further supporting their claim that Hamas had been using the area to stockpile arms. Palestinian officials, however, reported that women and children were among the dead, although these accounts have not been independently confirmed.

The airstrike is part of an intensified Israeli military campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure following the group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israeli communities that left over 1,200 people dead and more than 250 taken hostage.

IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari emphasized that the military employed aerial surveillance and intelligence measures to minimize civilian harm, blaming Hamas for exploiting civilians as human shields.

“The strike targeted a legitimate terror activity,” Hagari said. “Hamas’s continued use of civilian areas to shield its operations makes these missions increasingly complex.”

Palestinian emergency responders painted a grim picture of the aftermath. Fires engulfed shelters in the area, reportedly fueled by exploding gas canisters and burning household items. Charred clothing and twisted metal frames were strewn across the site, highlighting the devastating impact on those displaced in the overcrowded humanitarian zone.

The airstrike further exacerbates Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, where over two million people—out of a population of 2.3 million—are already displaced amid ongoing hostilities. International aid organizations and Palestinian officials say that conditions are dire, with limited access to food, clean water, and medical care.