CAIRO - Israeli planes dropped leaflets over southern Gaza on Oct 19 showing a picture of the dead Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar with the message that “Hamas will no longer rule Gaza”, echoing language used by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The leaflet’s wording was from a statement by Mr Netanyahu on Oct 17 after Sinwar was killed by Israeli soldiers operating in Rafah, in the south near the Egyptian border, on Oct 16.
The Oct 7 attack Sinwar planned on Israeli communities a year ago killed around 1,200 people, with another 253 dragged back to Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s subsequent war has devastated Gaza, killing more than 42,500 Palestinians, with another 10,000 uncounted dead thought to lie under the rubble, Gaza health authorities say.
In the central Gaza Strip camp of Al-Maghzai, an Israeli strike on a house killed 11 people, while another strike at the nearby camp of Nuseirat killed four others.
It said forces were continuing operations against Hamas across the enclave, killing several gunmen in Rafah and Jabalia and dismantling military infrastructure.
"It is emphasised that the hospital continues to operate without disruption and in full capacity, and there was no intentional fire directed at it," it said. »