Israel airstrike kills at least 4 aid workers in Gaza, IDF claims 1 is Hamas operative
U.K. aid group says one of its employees in Gaza was killed in the strike
A U.K.-based aid group said one of its employees, Hosam Mansour, in Gaza was killed on Friday after an Israeli airstrike hit its warehouse. The Israel Defence Forces posted on Telegram saying Mansour was part of Hamas's military wing.
Three other workers were killed in the attack from other aid groups. All four were transferred to the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
"It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of a senior aid worker, engineer Husam Mansour, who was killed in an airstrike on a warehouse where essential food items were being prepared for aid distribution," Al-Khair Foundation said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.
In a post on Telegram, the IDF said Mansour was an "operative of Hamas's military wing" and held a role in its internal security forces. It also said Mansour played a role in spreading violent activities throughout the Gaza Strip, and that Al-Khair Foundation "transfers funds to terror organizations."
The strike hit a warehouse that multiple aid groups were using, located in Al-Mawasi, a largely rural area in Gaza's coastal region. It was designated a "humanitarian safe zone" by the IDF. Palestinians were told to seek refuge there to avoid being caught in the crossfires of the fighting.
This week, fighting in the strip intensified between the IDF and Hamas as the Israeli army returned to the north to areas it had previously declared were cleared of Hamas militants. Since Monday, over 20 Palestinians have been killed.
Ceasefire talks have continued this week, with representatives from Qatar, Egypt, Israel, Hamas and the United States meeting in Cairo to find a solution to end the war. On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden posted on X announcing both Israel and Hamas had agreed to a "framework" for a deal. But, he said, "there was still more work to do."
Israel began its incursion on the Gaza Strip following the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7 that left some 1,200 dead and 250 taken hostage, by Israeli figures. Israel's subsequent ground offensive in Gaza has killed over 38,000 Palestinians, based on numbers from the Gaza Health Ministry.
In Khan Younis, residents gathered inside the building following the attack. It stood tall and was burnt out. The rubble was stained with blood, a reminder of the workers who were once there and the devastation of war.
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With files from Mohamed El Saife and The Associated Press