Hamas commander among dead in Gaza clashes

DPA, 12TH NOVEMBER, 2018 - At least seven Palestinians, including a local Hamas commander, and one Israeli officer were killed on Sunday in clashes in the southern Gaza strip, officials said.

The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza said that in addition to the deaths, seven Palestinians were injured in the battle near Khan Yunis.

The Israeli army tweeted that a lieutenant colonel was killed and another soldier was injured in an operation intended “to strengthen Israeli security.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in Paris with other world leaders to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War I, cut short his visit to return to Israel “in light of the security situation in the south,” his office said.

The Israeli army said earlier it had engaged in an “exchange of fire” in Gaza and denied reports that its soldiers had been abducted during the operation.

According to a spokesman from Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, an Israeli special forces unit in a civilian vehicle had driven 3 kilometres into Gaza, where they killed the 37-year-old commander.

His killing was followed by a fierce exchange of fire and Israeli warplanes struck the area so the soldiers could retreat.the commander had been responsible for digging tunnels, as well as conducting rocket attacks on Israel and attacks on Israeli soldiers, according to Palestinian sources. more than 220 Palestinians have been killed in clashes since March 30, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.