Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed Tuesday that their military targeted Mohammed Awdan in an airstrike in Gaza City, saying he had been chosen as the new commander of Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, Anadolu reports.

The claim came after heavy Israeli bombardment hit a densely populated area in central Gaza City on the eve of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, killing a Palestinian woman and injuring others, according to medical sources.

In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Katz said the military carried out the attack “on their orders,” claiming Awda had been chosen to replace Izz al-Din al-Haddad, whom Israel said it killed about ten days earlier.

The statement did not confirm whether Awda was killed in the attack.

Two Israeli officials tried to justify the attack by claiming that Awda was among the “architects” of the events of October 7, 2023.

The Israeli news site Walla said the outcome of the attack on Awda remains unclear.

Neither Hamas nor the al-Qassam Brigades have commented on the Israeli claim.

The Israeli claims come amid growing warnings from analysts and figures. opposition in Israel that Netanyahu may seek further escalation in Gaza for electoral reasons, in the context of the possibility of dissolving the Knesset and holding early elections.

Israel has killed more than 72,000 people and wounded more than 172,000 in two years of fierce offensives since October 2023, which have also caused widespread destruction affecting 90 percent of civilian infrastructure, before a ceasefire was declared last October.

Source: prizrenpost