IDF kills Islamic Jihad commander, his mother and sister
Sources in Gaza report IDF fires shell at house of al-Quds Brigades commander near Khan Younis, killing him along with his mother, sister and another family member. Palestinian sources say 16 people wounded in strike, and some are in critical condition
Four Palestinians were killed Thursday after IDF forces fired a shell at a house near Khan Younis in central Gaza.
The house that was hit belongs to Fayyad Khamdan, a local Hamas city council member and one of the movement's senior leaders in the region. Khamdan's 28-year-old son Sami, a senior commander of Islamic Jihad's military wing the al-Quds Brigades, was killed in the attack, along with his 50-year-old mother, Khreima, his sister Asma and another family member.
It is still unclear whether the house was the target of the strike, or whether it was randomly hit during clashes between IDF forces and local gunmen.
Sixteen Palestinians were wounded in the strike, and some sustained critical injuries.
The IDF reported that soldiers opened fire at the house after several gunmen were spotted going inside.
According to witness accounts, the house was badly damaged and partly collapsed as a result of the battle, and other family members might have been buried under the rubble. At least 30 people were reportedly inside the house before the strike.
IDF forces killed a Hamas gunman Thursday morning and wounded 10 other during an operation in southern Gaza Strip. The army reported that soldiers encountered a number of armed militants and opened fire at them from the ground and air.
Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report
