Israel strikes mosque in Gaza Strip

By Zeynep Hilal Karyagdı Duran and Nour Mahd Ali Abu Aisha

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Israeli warplanes bombed a mosque Saturday in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Warplanes targeted the Habib Muhammad Mosque in the El-Yabani neighborhood of Khan Yunus city in the southern Gaza Strip, according to sources.

Reports indicate that the mosque was destroyed, and images of the damage were shared on social media.

There has been no statement from Palestinian authorities regarding the attack.

Hamas launched Operation Al Aqsa Flood on Saturday and said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence. It said it fired rockets and captured many Israelis.

In turn, the Israeli army initiated Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said we are "at war." He urged civilians in Gaza to leave as the Israeli military is going to turn "all Hamas hiding places into rubble."

At least 232 Palestinians have been killed in the attacks, according to medical sources in Gaza, while the Israeli death toll climbed to 300.

More than 3,000 rockets have been launched by Hamas toward Israel since morning, according to the Israeli army.

It acknowledged soldiers had been captured and taken hostage into Gaza, and confirmed that more than 1,000 Israelis were injured, in a statement on X.