22/08/2014 10:35
3 senior Hamas military leaders killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza overnight killed three high-ranking members of Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades, the militant group said Thursday. Seven civilians were also killed, CNN reported.
The three members of the Brigades' 15-member military council were killed in a bombing in Rafah in southern Gaza, according to Hamas.
The announcement of their deaths comes the day after Hamas said an Israeli strike had killed the wife and at least two children of Mohammed Deif, the head of the military wing. Deif's 7-month-old son was killed, and the body of one of his daughters was removed from the rubble later, according to Hamas. Another of Deif's daughters is missing and believed to be buried in the rubble. The strike failed to kill Deif, Hamas said.
The militant group, which controls Gaza, said the leaders killed overnight were Mohammed Abu Shamala, Raed al-Attar and Mohammed Barhoum.
A crater the size of a residential block was left at the site of the airstrike.
According to Palestinian officials, Israeli airstrikes have killed 27 since midnight local time (5 p.m. ET Wednesday).
Hamas vowed revenge for their deaths.