Israel claims Hamas plotting ‘terror operations’ in Gaza on Oct 7, puts military on high alert
A statement issued by Israeli defence minister Katz's office warned that Gaza would pay a “heavy price” if any of Israel's forces were harmed.
Tel Aviv and Gaza - Israel's military has confirmed that the highest-ranking Hamas official in the Gaza Strip, Ali al-Omari, survived an Israeli airstrike on Saturday. The military's statement coincides with media reports. Ali al-Omari is believed to be one of the leading candidates for a secret election to choose a new Hamas leader in Gaza.
According to the army, he is the deputy chairman of the Hamas political bureau in Gaza. Palestinian rescue workers reported that at least five people were killed in the attack. Medical sources at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza said that at least five more people, some of whom were severely injured, were affected by the strike on a residential building in western Gaza.
The military stated that al-Omari was serving as Jihia al-Sinwar's right-hand, who was killed in the meantime. He was also involved in the decision-making related to the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel. Israel claimed to have targeted al-Omari, who was reportedly in a Hamas-controlled apartment used for terrorist activities. However, the information cannot be independently verified.
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