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The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, with Israel intensifying its military campaign in Gaza. In a significant move, Israeli planes dropped leaflets over southern Gaza, showcasing a picture of deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Accompanying the image was a message stating, “Hamas will no longer rule Gaza”, echoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pronouncements.
The distribution of these leaflets followed a series of Israeli airstrikes that tragically claimed the lives of at least 32 people across Gaza. These strikes have also tightened the siege around hospitals in Jabalia, located in the northern part of the enclave, according to reports from Palestinian health officials. The leaflet, written in Arabic and widely circulating online, was reportedly disseminated in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza.
The message printed on the leaflet, aimed at the Palestinian population, stated: “Whoever drops the weapon and hands over the hostages will be allowed to leave and live in peace”. This echoes a statement made by Netanyahu on Thursday, following the killing of Sinwar by Israeli soldiers in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, on Wednesday. Sinwar, who was believed to be the mastermind behind the October 7 attack on Israeli communities a year ago, was reportedly killed by Israeli forces. This attack resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals and the capture of 253 hostages who remain in Gaza, according to Israeli accounts.
The consequences of Israel’s war on Gaza have been devastating, leading to the loss of over 42,500 Palestinian lives, with an additional 10,000 presumed dead under the rubble, according to Gaza’s health authorities. The continuous Israeli strikes have targeted various locations in Gaza, including hospitals, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The Palestinian health ministry reported that Israeli strikes targeted the upper floors of an Indonesian hospital in Beit Lahiya, with forces opening fire on the hospital’s building and courtyard, causing widespread panic among patients and medical staff.
Similar scenes of chaos unfolded at Awda hospital in Jabaliya, where airstrikes struck the top floors, injuring several staff members, according to a statement from the hospital. The devastation inflicted by the conflict is evident in central Gaza, where at least 10 people, including two children, were killed when a house in the town of Zawayda was struck, according to an AP report. In another tragic incident, a strike on the al-Maghazi refugee camp claimed the lives of 11 people from the same family.
Source: Israel drops leaflets over Gaza showing Sinwar’s body and Netanyahu’s message to Hamas