Israeli forces launched an intense attack Tuesday afternoon against a Hamas terror complex beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis.
The IDF and ISA (Shin Bet) collaborated on the attack, which took place in southern Gaza and targeted Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, Israeli media reported. Israeli security officials confirmed there were no hostages present in the location at the time of the attack.
It is believed that Sinwar did not survive the strike.
The chief terrorist succeeded his older brother Yahya Sinwar as Gaza’s leader of the terror organization. Yahya Sinwar was assassinated by Israel last year.
Mohammed Sinwar also serves as the commander of the Hamas Al-Qassam military wing, having succeeded Mohammed Deif in that post after he too was killed by Israeli forces last year.
Palestinian Authority sources said nine bombs were dropped in the courtyard of the hospital in a large-scale “Belt of Fire” type strike.
Local sources reported at least 10 people killed and 30 more injured in the attack.
Military analysts said the strikes, which targeted a command-and-control center in an underground Hamas complex beneath the hospital, appeared to have been successful and chances were very low that Sinwar survived the attack; many tunnels in the area reportedly collapsed from the strikes, which used “bunker buster” bombs.
“The Hamas terrorist organization continues to use hospitals in the Gaza Strip for terrorist activity, demonstrating its cynical and brutal use of the civilian population in the hospital and its surroundings,” the IDF said in a statement.
Prior to and during Tuesday’s strike, numerous steps were taken – as usual — to mitigate the risk of harming civilians and civilian infrastructure, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence.
