Israel eliminates Hamas spokesperson; hospitals report dozens killed in Gaza

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced Sunday that a spokesperson for Hamas armed wing Abu Obeida was killed in Gaza over the weekendObeidarsquos last statement came on Friday as Israel began the initial stages of a new military offensive in Gaza City declaring the area a combat zone Hamas has not commented on Israelrsquos claimPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier said Israel had attacked Obeida the longtime spokesperson for Hamasrsquos Qassam Brigades but did not know whether he had been killedldquoI do notice there is no one addressing this question on the Hamas siderdquo Netanyahu told ministers at a weekly cabinet meetingObeida is the latest Hamas representative targeted and killed by Israel as it attempts to dismantle the grouprsquos military capacity and prevent another attack like that of October 7 2023 when militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1200 mostly civilians Israel has assassinated many of Hamasrsquo top military and political leadersA death trapAt least 43 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday most of them in Gaza City according to local hospitals Shifa Hospital mdash the territoryrsquos largest mdash said 29 bodies had been brought to its morgue including 10 people killed while seeking aid and others struck across the cityOn Sunday morning hospital officials reported 11 more fatalities from strikes and gunfire AlAwda Hospital said seven of the dead were civilians trying to reach aidWitnesses said Israeli troops opened fire on crowds in the Netzarim Corridor an Israeli military zone that bisects GazaldquoWe were trying to get food but we were met with the occupationrsquos bulletsrdquo said Ragheb Abu Lebda from Nuseirat who saw at least three people bleeding from gunshot wounds ldquoItrsquos a death traprdquoThe corridor has become increasingly perilous with civilians killed while approaching UN convoys overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds or shot on their way to sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation an Israelibacked US contractor Neither the foundation nor the Israeli military responded to questions about Sundayrsquos casualtiesMalnutrition and displacementIsrael has for weeks been operating on the outskirts of Gaza City as well as the Jabaliya refugee camp to prepare for the initial stages of its offensive which it announced Friday Its military has since intensified air attacks in coastal areas of the city including RimalIts Arabiclanguage army spokesperson has urged the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still in Gaza City to flee south but only tens of thousands have done so Many say they are too exhausted after repeated displacements or are unconvinced that anywhere is saferThe United Nations says roughly 65000 Palestinians have fled their homes since August 1 including 23199 in the past week Many are living in temporary shelters after multiple displacements More than 90 per cent of Gazarsquos 21 million residents have been displaced at least once during the war and many multiple times according to the UNIsrael has announced new infrastructure projects in southern Gaza and signalled that aid to Gaza City could be cut steps Palestinians say amount to forced displacementSeven Palestinian adults died of malnutritionrelated causes in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours the territoryrsquos health ministry reported Sunday That brings the death toll from malnutritionrelated causes to 215 since late June when the ministry began tracking fatalities among adults it saidAnother 124 children have died of malnutritionrelated causes since the start of the war in October 2023 according to the ministryAt least 63371 Palestinians have died in Gaza during the war the ministry said It does not specify how many were fighters or civilians but estimates that about half were women and childrenThe ministry is part of the Hamasrun government and staffed by medical professionals The UN and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties Israel disputes the figures but has not provided its ownThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever