The Hamas terrorist organization claimed on Sunday that the Israel Defense Forces now control 77% of the Gaza Strip, as a result of its ongoing ground maneuver. The figure came after Israel Hayom reported last week that the IDF's objective was control over 75% of the Strip. A month ago, Israeli forces were in control of about 40%.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza reported 38 fatalities and 204 injuries in the past 24 hours, not including figures from hospitals in the northern part of the enclave. According to the ministry, some victims remain trapped under rubble and cannot yet be reached. Since the collapse of the ceasefire agreement in March, 3,785 people have reportedly been killed. The total number of fatalities since the war began has reached nearly 54,000, with 122,797 wounded.
These figures have drawn criticism in various reports for being manipulated, including the lack of distinction between terrorists and civilians, the inclusion of natural deaths, inflated numbers of women and children killed, and other discrepancies. Nonetheless, no other body has published comparable statistics. According to the IDF, approximately 20,000 terrorists have been eliminated.
The most recent senior figure to be killed was Ashraf Abu Najar, who led the operations division of Hamas' "civil defense mechanism" in Gaza. He was killed in an Israeli strike in central Gaza, according to the terrorist organization. Holding a rank equivalent to a deputy superintendent, Abu Najar was killed along with his wife in a strike on their home. In previous years, he managed Hamas activities in Gaza City, the central refugee camps, and Khan Younis. He was recently appointed head of the organization's operations directorate. This Hamas division is tasked with evacuating and rescuing wounded and deceased individuals.
