Israel says it killed the head of Hamas’ air wing
The Israeli Armed Forces claimed to have killed the head of Hamas’ air wing this Saturday (28). The military said he was involved in planning the attacks against Israel that took place on October 7.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said Asem Abu Rakaba coordinated the Hamas members who paraglided into Israeli territory on October 7.
The statement mentions that Rakaba “was involved in planning the massacre in neighboring communities in the Gaza Strip” and was also responsible for the use of drones to attack Israeli army bases with drones.
The head of Hamas’ air wing was killed in a bomb attack by Israeli Defense Forces fighters. A video shows the moment of the attack. View above.
The Israeli army is currently intensifying its land operations in the Gaza Strip. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the force, said the aim of the activities was “sweeping and tidying up”.
“We want to dismantle their capabilities, destroy their government and ensure that they can never again use the Gaza Strip as a base against our people,” he said, referring to Hamas.
Israel declares war after Hamas attack; understand
▶️ How did the conflict begin? The confrontation began after the terrorist group Hamas fired hundreds of rockets at Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7.
- Armed men from the south of the country invaded Israeli territory by land, air and sea, on motorcycles and paragliders.
- The invaders shot people in the streets and kidnapped hundreds, including women and children, who were taken to Gaza as hostages.
▶️ What was Israel’s reaction? Faced with the Hamas offensive, the Israeli government began retaliatory measures.
- “We are at war and we will win,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said shortly after the attack. “Our enemy will pay a price he has never known.”
- Also on October 7, Israel launched bombing raids on the Gaza Strip.
▶️ What is and where is the Gaza Strip? It is the Palestinian territory located on a narrow piece of land on the western coast of Israel, on the border with Egypt.
- The city, which is characterized by poverty and overpopulation, has 2 million inhabitants who live in an area of 360 km².
- To get an idea of this size compared to Brazilian cities: the territory is slightly larger than that of the city of Fortaleza (312.4 km²) and smaller than that of Curitiba (434.8 km²).
- Gaza was captured by Israel in the SixDay War in 1967 and handed over to the Palestinians in 2005. Gaza is currently experiencing a blockade of goods and services imposed by its border neighbors.
▶️ What is the history of conflict in the region? The dispute between Israel and Palestine has been going on for decades and has resulted in numerous armed clashes and deaths.
- In its modern form, it dates back to 1947, when the United Nations (UN) proposed the creation of two states, one Jewish and one Arab, in Palestine under a British mandate.