The IDF said Tuesday it carried out an airstrike against several Hamas commanders in the Shati area near Gaza City’s port, saying they were planning attacks against Israeli troops operating in the Gaza Strip.
According to the military, the Hamas commanders were targeted from the air “to remove the threat” to IDF forces. The IDF said measures were taken before the strike to reduce harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance.
IDF strike near Gaza City's port
Palestinian media reported that six people were killed and 10 wounded in the strike. According to the reports, the attack hit a café in the coastal area of Gaza City, where “thousands of displaced people” were present at the time.
The Palestinian Shahab News Agency initially reported wounded people following a strike near the port and later cited a source at Shifa Hospital as saying five people, including a child, had been killed and 10 wounded. In a subsequent update, the agency raised the reported death toll to six, including a child.
The IDF did not immediately address the Palestinian casualty reports. It said troops under Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to act against what it describes as immediate threats to Israeli forces.