JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that it killed two senior Hamas members in Thursday's airstrikes, while Gaza health officials reported 14 deaths across the enclave over the past 24 hours.
According to an IDF statement, the military killed Kamal Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Awad, identifying him as the head of Hamas' anti-tank missile unit. The military also reported the death of Ahmad Thabet, whom it described as a key figure in Hamas' weapons manufacturing department.
The military said the strikes followed a failed rocket launch from Gaza on Thursday toward an area of Gaza City where Israeli troops were operating.
WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency, confirmed Awad's death but characterized him as a civilian.
The IDF also reported targeting a command-and-control compound in northern Gaza on Thursday, killing four militants it said were using the site to store weapons and plan attacks.
Hamas has not officially commented on the specific deaths, but spokesman Hazem Qassem said the strikes "confirm the Israeli occupation's renunciation of its commitment to the ceasefire."
Separately, Gaza health authorities said 14 Palestinians, including five children, were killed and 17 wounded in Israeli attacks over the past day. Officials noted that some victims remain trapped under rubble or in areas inaccessible to rescue teams.
Since a ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, Gaza's death toll has risen to 439 with 1,223 injuries, according to local health authorities. Rescue teams have recovered 688 bodies during that period. In the broader conflict, at least 71,409 Palestinians have been killed and 171,304 wounded since Israel's military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023. ■
