According to the statement from the agency, eleven people, including women and children, lost their lives in the Al-Mawasi area, which had previously been declared a humanitarian zone for civilians. According to the Gaza Interior Ministry, controlled by Hamas, the strike resulted in the deaths of police chief Mahmoud Salah and his aide Houssam Shahwan.
The Israeli military confirmed Shahwan's death, identifying him as the head of Hamas's internal security apparatus. The Israel Defense Forces claim that Shahwan was responsible for preparing intelligence data in coordination with elements of Hamas's military wing that participated in attacks against the IDF in the Gaza Strip. The report does not mention Salah's death.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, another 26 people were killed in subsequent strikes. Six of them died at the Interior Ministry headquarters in Khan Younis, while the others were in refugee camps. The Israel Defense Forces stated that they targeted Hamas militants who, according to intelligence, were operating in a command-and-control center "located in the Khan Younis municipality building."
Later on Thursday, another six people were reported dead as a result of airstrikes, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.