JERUSALEM, Israel — An Israeli attack today on the south of the Gaza strip targeted the head of Hamas’ military wing, an Israeli official said — identifying the target of the strike in Khan Younis as Mohammed Deif, believed to be the chief architect of the October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the Israel-Hamas war.

Deif has topped Israel’s most-wanted list for years and is believed to have escaped multiple Israeli assassination attempts in the past. The official said Rafa Salama, another top Hamas official, was also targeted in the strike. The official did not have details on whether the two were killed. In a statement, Hamas rejected the claim.

Hamas claims at least 71 people were dead as a result of the strike but estimates by Israeli and other authorities are not yet available. Footage of the aftermath showed blackened tents and burnt-out cars as emergency workers and Palestinians Arabs displaced by the nine-month war searched for survivors. Witnesses said the strike landed inside Muwasi, the Israeli designated safe zone that stretches from northern Rafah to Khan Younis.

The coastal strip is where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have fled to in search of safety, sheltering mostly in makeshift tents. The latest strike comes as American, Egyptian, and Qatari mediators continue to push to narrow gaps between Israel and Hamas over a proposed deal for a three-phase cease-fire and hostage release plan in Gaza.

The potential killing or injury of any senior Hamas official threatens to derail the ongoing talks. The American-backed proposal calls for an initial cease-fire with a limited hostage release and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated areas in Gaza. At the same time, the two sides would negotiate the terms of the second phase. 

Phase two is supposed to bring a full hostage release in return for a permanent cease-fire and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel declared war on Hamas and launched its campaign in Gaza after Hamas’ October 7 attack, in which terrorists stormed into southern Israel, slew some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250.

Deif has been in hiding for more than two decades and is believed to be paralyzed after surviving multiple attempts on his life. One of the only known images of the man is a 30-year-old ID photo released by Israel. Even in Gaza, it is likely that only a handful of people would recognize him.

Associated Press