(Photo credit: Twitter)
Israel launched a brutal attack on the Gaza Strip during the early hours of 9 May, killing at least 13 Palestinians, including three Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) leaders and their families.
The Israeli attack targeted several areas of the besieged enclave, including the homes of the PIJ leaders. According to a Palestinian health official, six women and four children are confirmed dead.
BREAKING| The Israeli occupation warplanes are launching a series of airstrikes on several areas in the Gaza Strip. #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/t9DK0SnmYu
— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) May 8, 2023
At least twenty others have been wounded, some in serious condition.
Jihad Ghannam, a commander of the PIJ Al-Quds Brigades and secretary of its military council, was killed with his wife following air raids on his house in the city of Rafah.
PIJ spokesman Tariq Ezzeddine was also killed alongside his wife and children after Israeli jets targeted his home. Khalil al-Bahtini was the third PIJ member to die during the attack. His six year-old daughter Hajer was killed as well.
العائلة كاملة مُسحت من السجل المدني ..
كل من في الصورة شهداء #غزة_تحت_القصف pic.twitter.com/h5FEiFXgsn— جَفرَا الحُب والثَورَة 🇵🇸 𓂆 (@jafra_ps) May 9, 2023
“The bodies of … women and children were recovered from the targeted apartments,” Al-Mayadeen’s correspondent reported.
A doctor, Jamal Khadwan, was also killed in the strikes, alongside his wife and son.
#Israel launched 31 missiles to assassinate 12 Palestinians in #Gaza, of which 9 civilians (including children and women) and 3 Islamic Jihad commanders. 20 other civilians were injured. @netanyahu is trying to trigger a war to divert attention from his domestic crisis. pic.twitter.com/Ze1RhUyZXG
— Elijah J. Magnier 🇪🇺 (@ejmalrai) May 9, 2023
The Israeli military operation, dubbed “Shield and Arrow,” began early on 9 May.
According to Israeli army radio, the brutal attacks involved the use of 40 planes, helicopters, and drones.
“The operation was scheduled for last Tuesday, but it was postponed until conditions ripened,” Israeli radio said.
According to Israel’s Channel 7, Tel Aviv informed the US government of its plans for the operation at the end of last week.
In a statement, senior Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh said: “The assassination of these leaders will bring about even more resistance … the enemy has erred in its estimates and will pay the price for its crime.”
“The occupation’s crime today is a crime against all the Palestinian people,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said.
In a brief statement following the Israeli blitz, the PIJ said: “The Palestinian response to the heinous massacre will not be delayed, and the Al-Quds Brigades and the resistance will not be deterred.”
An unnamed Israeli security official has been quoted as saying that “the response from Gaza will be great.”
Including Tuesday’s casualties, 120 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers since the start of 2023.