Israeli security personnel work next to a vehicle damaged by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, May 10, 2023. /Xinhua
A senior official of a militant group in Gaza was killed early on Thursday when the Israeli army's unmanned suicide drones attacked his apartment in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.
Palestinian security officials confirmed that Ali Hassan Ghali, a military council member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), was killed after two Israeli suicide drones attacked his apartment in a building north of the city.
The officials said that his brother Mahmoud Ghali and their nephew Mahmoud Mansour were also in the apartment and were killed in the drone attack.
Palestinian medics at Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis said that three Palestinians were brought dead to the hospital and 15 were injured after an apartment was bombed by Israeli fighting aircraft.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held security consultations throughout Wednesday. Reports in several local media outlets suggested a ceasefire between Israel and the Gaza militants had been reached through Egyptian mediation. According to those reports, it will come into effect late Wednesday.
On Wednesday, efforts taken by the mediators Egypt, Qatar and the UN failed to reach a ceasefire between Israel and the PIJ to end the ongoing fighting, which had left 24 people dead and more than 70 injured.
Muhammad Al-Hindi, head of the PIJ political department, announced earlier that Israel's refusal to stop its targeted killing policy or assassinations against PIJ leaders was the reason for not reaching a truce agreement.
Streaks of smoke are seen as Israel's Iron Dome defense system intercepts rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot, southern Israel, May 10, 2023. /Xinhua
Tens of rockets were fired by Palestinian militants into Israel early Wednesday evening, in response, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes against the PIJ targets in the Gaza Strip.
The exchange of fire came just hours before a reported ceasefire was expected to come into effect.
The Arab League (AL) strongly denounced the Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
The AL said in a statement that "the Israeli attacks hit residential areas, killing women and children while they were sleeping safely in their homes."
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is following with deep concern the latest security developments in Gaza, and the ongoing escalation and risk of further loss of life, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.
"The secretary-general condemns the civilian loss of life, including that of children and women, which he views as unacceptable and must stop immediately," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for Guterres, said in a statement.
(With input from Xinhua)