IAF strike kills two of Hamas chief Haniyeh's nephews

Haniyeh confirms deaths on Twitter; Palestinian death toll stands at 121; 34 rockets hit Israel on Saturday.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH, REUTERS, YAAKOV LAPPIN
An iron dome launches rockets to intercept incoming rockets from Gaza on Tuesday. (photo credit: REUTERS)
An iron dome launches rockets to intercept incoming rockets from Gaza on Tuesday.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Palestinian media on Saturday afternoon reported that two of Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh's nephews have been killed in an IAF strike in Gaza. Haniyeh later confirmed the deaths on twitter.
The nephews who died, were among six people who were killed in a reported IDF strike on Haniyeh's sister's home. Since the latest outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, at least 121 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed and over 900 have been wounded, according to Israel Radio.
 
537 Gaza houses have either been destroyed or damaged, according to the Gaza-based Al-Mezan Association for Human Right
Israel’s air force will continue to pound targets in the Gaza Strip over the course of at least the next 24 hours, the IDF Spokesperson said on Saturday.
Brig.-Gen. Moti Almoz told Israel Radio on Saturday that there were still “many” targets in the Gaza Strip remaining. While air force sorties will continue, the army high command is simultaneously preparing for a ground incursion.
Almoz told Israel Radio that Hamas is “growing increasingly frustrated over its inability to exact casualties among Israeli civilians.” He said that the army was diligently working to avoid civilian casualties among the Palestinian population in Gaza.
Palestinian officials in the Gaza Strip said at least nine people, including two physically disabled people, were killed overnight Friday during Israeli airstrikes as Operation Protective Edge entered its fifth day.
Health officials in Gaza reported that three people were killed in an IAF strike Saturday morning in the eastern section of Gaza City, according to Israel Radio. Before dawn Saturday, 13 Palestinians were killed in IDF strikes in Gaza, officials said.
The IDF said that it had struck 60 terror targets in the Hamas-ruled enclave. Since the operation began, Israeli aircraft have hit over 1,160 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip, the military said.
Israel Navy gunboats also struck Hamas targets, including a lookout point as well as a meeting point used by operatives of Hamas as well as the Popular Resistance Committees.
“Among the targets that were struck since the beginning of the operation were dozens of operational infrastructure sites belonging to senior officials from the Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations who took part in carrying out many attacks and projectile fire at Israeli territory,” the army said in a communique.
An operations center housed in the Al-Faruk mosque in central Gaza, which was used to store rockets and other weapons, was struck by the IDF early on Saturday.
Ten terrorist operatives were killed in air strikes, including six involved in rocket fire on Israel, the IDF said. A launcher in south Gaza used to fire on Beersheba overnight was also destroyed.
Since Monday night, dozens of operational infrastructure sites used by senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad members have been destroyed, the IDF said.
Infrastructure used by senior Hamas member Atia Abu Nakira in south Gaza was destroyed, as well as a home used as an operations center by senior Islamic Jihad member Jihad Ghanam.
Abu Nakira has taken part in a long line of terror attacks on Israel, the IDF, including rocket attacks, tunnel bombs, anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile fire at Israeli territory. Jihad Ghanam also took part in a long line of attacks, the IDF said, including large-scale rocket attacks on Israeli territory, targeting greater Tel Aviv. Homes used as operations centers by two Hamas members, Tisir Mebasher and Mahdi Kura'a were also destroyed overnight.