Israel said it targeted the new chief of Hamas’s armed wing in a strike in Gaza on Tuesday, just days after his predecessor was killed in a similar attack in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
The claim came after heavy Israeli bombardment struck a densely populated area in central Gaza City on the eve of the Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha, killing a Palestinian woman and injuring others, according to medical sources.
In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Katz said the army launched the strike “under their instructions,” claiming Awda had been selected to replace Izz al-Din al-Haddad, whom Israel said it killed around 10 days ago.
The statement did not confirm whether Awda was killed in the strike.
The two Israeli officials attempted to justify the attack by alleging Awda was among the “architects” of the October 7, 2023 surprise attack against Israel.
