Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu: It is not certain whether Hamas leader was killed in attack

JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was still unclear whether Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif and another senior commander were killed in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, but he vowed to pursue Israel’s war aims to the end.

“One way or another, we will reach the entire Hamas leadership,” he told a televised news conference, adding that the chances of an agreement on the release of the Israeli hostages would be improved by increasing military pressure on Hamas.

The brief press conference was called after the Israeli military said it had carried out an attack on Deif and senior Hamas commander Rafa Salama in the city of Khan Younis based on allegedly accurate intelligence.

Palestinian health officials said the attack killed at least 90 Palestinians and injured up to 300 in the designated Al Mawasi humanitarian zone, the highest loss of life in weeks.

The Israeli military said the attack hit a military complex but could not confirm casualty figures.

As protesters in Tel Aviv demanded more action to release Israeli and foreign hostages from Gaza, Netanyahu said military pressure on Hamas was the best way to reach an agreement on the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas militants during the October 7 attack.

He said he would not compromise on Israel’s fundamental demands for an agreement.

“I have not deviated one millimeter from the framework laid out by President Biden,” he said. “But I will not allow Hamas to move one millimeter either.”

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications.