New Delhi: Israel on early Tuesday killed three Islamic Jihad commanders in Gaza airstrikes, news agency Reuters reported citing Palestinian officials.
The Israeli military took to social media to declare the commencement of ‘Operation Shield and Arrow’ and highlighted the elimination of three senior members of the Islamic Jihad ‘terrorist organisation’.
The IDF has just announced the beginning of Operation Shield and Arrow. Follow for updates in real-time. pic.twitter.com/6ic3Ljp2rK
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 9, 2023
According to Israel Defence Forces (IDF), the deceased are identified as- Khalil Bahtini, the Islamic Jihad commander for the northern Gaza Strip; Tareq Izzeldeen, the group’s intermediary between its Gaza and West Bank members; and Jehad Ghanam, the secretary of the Islamic Jihad’s military council.
According to Palestinian officials and medics, at least six Palestinians were killed in the airstrikes, including three civilians, while several others sustained injuries, reported Reuters.
Last week, the death of a Palestinian hunger striker in Israeli custody triggered several hours of cross-border fighting between Israel and armed groups in Gaza, in which one Palestinian man was killed.
The air strikes marked the latest incident in more than a year of surging violence, with repeated Israeli military raids and escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank amid a spate of Palestinian street attacks targeting Israelis.
According to Reuters, more than 90 Palestinians and at least 19 Israelis and foreigners have been killed since January.
COGAT, a unit in the Israeli defence ministry that coordinates civilian affairs with the Palestinians, said two crossings with Gaza were closed for entry and exit of people and goods until further notice.
In anticipation of rocket fire in response to the killings, the Israeli military released special instructions for Israelis living in towns within 40 kilometres of Gaza, including to remain near bomb shelters from 2.30 am local time on Tuesday until 6 pm on Thursday.
