90 die as Israel targets Hamas leader

GAZA/JERUSALEM — An Israeli airstrike killed at least 90 Palestinians in a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza on Saturday, its health ministry said, in an attack that Israel said targeted Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif.

Regional countries have condemned the attack.

Iraqi government spokesman Basim al-Awadi said in a statement that after nine months of conflict in Gaza, "the massacres of the brutal aggression continue, with the latest atrocities claiming the lives of dozens of innocent children and women".

Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs slammed the morning raid as another "systematic targeting of civilians and refugee shelters".

According to local health authorities, about 300 others in Gaza were also wounded in the morning raid, including dozens of children and women, with some sustaining critical injuries.

Earlier in the day, Israeli state-owned Kan TV news said the target of this Israeli attack was Hamas military chief Deif, noting the army was awaiting the results of the raid.

Hamas has rejected the claim, saying it came in the context of covering up Israel's crimes.

Deif, 58, has been considered one of Israel's most wanted men for many years and was previously injured during several assassination attempts against him.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it remained unclear whether Deif and another Hamas commander had been killed and vowed to continue to target Hamas leadership, saying more military pressure on the group would improve chances of a hostage deal even as sources said talks had been halted.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was holding special consultations, his office said, in light of "developments in Gaza".

A senior Hamas official told Agence France-Presse on Sunday that the Palestinian militant group has withdrawn from talks on a cease-fire in the Gaza conflict because of Israeli "massacres" and its attitude in negotiations.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Saturday accused Netanyahu of seeking to block a cease-fire in the Gaza conflict with "heinous massacres" carried out by Israeli forces, a statement by the Palestinian militant group said. He called on international mediators to act following Israeli attacks in Gaza.

The civil defense agency said at least 20 people were killed in a strike on a makeshift mosque at Al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza.

At least 17 Palestinians were killed and 50 were wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza City in the early hours of Sunday morning, civil emergency and health officials said.

Agencies - Xinhua