Israel kills Hamas commanders responsible for attacks in Kibbutz Nirim, Nir Oz

Israel's defence forces (IDF) on Sunday said it had eliminated two Hamas commanders responsible for raids in two Israeli communities - Kibbutz Nirim and Nir Oz - last Saturday.  The IDF said it had killed Bilal al-Kadra, the commander of the Noh'ba force (Hamas' special forces) in the South Khan Yunis battalion. Bilal was responsible for the raid on the Nirim and Nir Oz kibbutzim on Saturday, the day Hamas carried out the deadliest attack in years on Israel.

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In a series of tweets, Israel's air force said that as part of the extensive strikes on senior operatives and terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, the country's defence forces had killed the Nukhba commander in southern Khan Yunis, who was responsible for the massacre in Kibbutz Nirim -  which is near the border with Gaza. 

"Following ISA intelligence, IAF fighter jets operated in the Gaza Strip and killed Billal Al Kedra last night, the Nukhba commander of the forces in southern Khan Yunis, who’s responsible for the Kibbutz Nirim massacre," the air force said, adding that some Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror operatives were also killed.

The air force, which has been bombarding Gaza since last Saturday in a retaliatory action against Hamas, also struck over one hundred targets located in Zaytun, Khan Yunis, and west Jabaliya. These strikes, the forces said, impacted the capabilities of Hamas by targeting its operational command centers, military compounds, dozens of launchers, anti-tank-missile launch posts, and observation posts.

Meanwhile, Israel has asked about one million people in North Gaza to head to the South as it prepares a ground invasion of the Palestinian enclave, which is being hammered by Israeli airstrikes. However, there are reports that Hamas, which rules Gaza, is obstructing people's movement to the southern region.

Israel's defence forces said that following their warning, residents of the Gaza Strip began to evacuate from their homes to the south of the Wadi Gaza for their own protection. However, they said, Hamas obstructed and prevented the safe passage of residents in the Gaza Strip moving along central roads.

The Israeli forces also shared two pictures pointing to a blockade of roads said to be created by Hamas.