IDF Eliminates Hamas Commanders in Retaliation for South Attack

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it had killed two Hamas military commanders involved in the recent attack on southern Israel, urging Gazan civilians to move south in anticipation of a ground operation. The IDF targeted Ali Qadhi, a former prisoner released in a 2011 exchange, and Murad Abu Murad, the head of Hamas's aerial array. The IDF also conducted widespread strikes on Hamas commando forces and called for the evacuation of Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip. Hamas, however, urged residents to ignore the evacuation instructions. The IDF's call for evacuation suggests a potential ground operation, as tensions remain high in the West Bank and on the northern border with Lebanon.