Hamas's naval commander killed in Israeli airstrike
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) on Saturday announced that it had killed the Hamas terrorist group's naval force commander of the Gaza City Brigade, Rateb Abu Sahiban, during an overnight airstrike. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the IAF also revealed that Sahiban planned and commanded a Hamas infiltration attempt via the sea on Tuesday but was foiled by the Israeli Navy.
Alleged visuals of airstrike that killed top Hamas commander
Israel pounds Gaza, strikes 150 Hamas targets
Earlier on Saturday, Israel confirmed hitting more than 150 "underground targets" in northern Gaza during an intense night of raids. Reportedly, the sites hit include "terror tunnels, underground combat spaces, and additional underground infrastructure. Furthermore, several Hamas terrorists were killed." The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also announced the death of Hamas aerial array head Asem Abu Rakaba, who played a key role in the October 7 attacks.
Israeli troops fighting 'weak enemy': IDF spokesman
IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that Israeli troops were "still in the field" in the northern Gaza Strip and are fighting a weaker enemy. The top IDF official also confirmed that aid trucks carrying food and water will be allowed into Gaza on Saturday. The region is facing severe shortages of food, fuel, medicines, and other basic needs amid a total blockade of the enclave.
Check out Hagari's comments here
Know about Gaza's worst 'blackout'
Meanwhile, communication services have been severed in Gaza following intense Israeli strikes on the city's northern part on Friday evening. Palestine Telecommunications Company (PALTEL), the biggest telecom provider in Gaza, confirmed that the strip was "blacked out" after airstrikes hit phone and internet services. This is the worst internet blackout in the region since the start of the conflict, internet monitoring groups told CNN.
Death toll in Israel-Hamas war crosses 8,000
At least 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the cross-border attack since the start of the Hamas-Israel conflict. On the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run health ministry announced that over 7,300 people have died in Israeli army raids. Amid the conflict, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday demanded a "humanitarian ceasefire in the Middle East" so that "life-saving supplies" could be delivered.
