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The Israeli army said on Sunday that it targeted a prominent commander in the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
Hamas sources told Reuters that an Israeli air strike resulted in the killing of Samir Abu Yunis, commander of the Rafah Brigade in the Al-Qassam Brigades (the movement’s military wing), in an attack in Khan Yunis.
Medics reported that Abu Yunis was killed and others were injured in an air strike that targeted him in a street in the Al-Mawasi area in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
It is noteworthy that the ceasefire agreement, which began in October 2025, led to the cessation of major battles, but it did not put an end to Israeli attacks, nor did it lead to the disarmament of Hamas.
Health authorities in Gaza indicate that at least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire agreement took effect, while five Israeli soldiers were killed during the same period.
Coping with floods
On Saturday, the European Union urged Israel to allow relief organizations to bring aid to those affected by the devastating floods in the Gaza Strip “immediately and without hindrance.”
He said in a statement, "We urge Israel to allow the immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid and support allocated for early recovery, ensure their continued widespread distribution, and reopen all border crossings into the Gaza Strip."
Since the end of last week, heavy rains in the Gaza Strip have caused tens of thousands of displaced people's tents to flood and killed five people, including three children, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense and hospitals.
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European Union foreign policy chief Kaya Kallas stressed in the statement that “Israel must facilitate the work of the United Nations, its agencies and humanitarian organizations, including non-governmental organizations, and fulfill all its obligations under international law, in particular international humanitarian law and international human rights law.”
The union said that the severe floods hitting Gaza “further deteriorate the living conditions of a population that has reached the point of exhaustion,” which exacerbates the humanitarian crisis.
Callas added, "The recent air strike on Nasser Hospital raises grave concern."
At least 11 people were killed and dozens injured in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, according to Palestinian health sources, including six in a raid on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, the highest toll since the Israeli elections late last month.
The Israeli army confirmed the attack, noting that it targeted "the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade in the Hamas movement, Muhammad Abu Ismail, and other terrorist members who were hiding inside Nasser Hospital."
Arab and Islamic condemnation of the targeting of Nasser Medical Complex
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In a joint statement on Saturday, the foreign ministers of 18 Arab and Islamic countries condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli air strike that targeted the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis, which resulted in “casualties among patients and members of medical staff and continued attacks on Palestinian civilians and shelter sites for displaced people,” stressing that this “represents a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and undermines the ceasefire agreement and efforts aimed at restoring security and stability in the Gaza Strip.”
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Emirates, Algeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Lebanon, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, the Sultanate of Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Egypt and Mauritania stressed, through the statement, that “these violations contradict the comprehensive plan of US President Donald Trump, and violate the special protection guaranteed by international law for medical facilities and health sector workers.”
The ministers expressed deep concern about the continued Israeli restrictions imposed on the entry of humanitarian aid and shelter materials, including tents, caravans, and mobile homes, as well as medical supplies, stressing that “these obstacles exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip as winter approaches.”
In the joint statement, the ministers warned of the lack of adequate shelter and the deterioration of water, sanitation and health care services, which put the lives of civilians at serious risk, especially children and infants who may once again face the risk of death as a result of exposure to extreme cold weather.
Netanyahu calls for the formation of a national unity government
Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday renewed his call to form a national unity government with Prime Minister-designate Gadi Eisenkot "to ensure Israel's security" in the face of Iran. Eisenkot responded by accusing him of resorting to a political "trick" to obstruct the formation of a new government.
Netanyahu said in a video statement that his meeting Thursday with Eisenkot “consolidated my conviction that it is necessary at the present time to form a national unity government” that will be able to “guarantee Israel’s security for many years to come.”
He added that the government should include "all parties" that recognize "Israel is a state for the Jewish people" to confront security challenges, foremost of which is Iran, whose "regime will not hesitate to use nuclear weapons against us," he said.
Netanyahu warned of Eisenkot's plan to form a minority government, which the former chief of staff, who belongs to the centrist movement, calls a "national emergency government" and says he wants to form it as quickly as possible.
Under this scenario, 48 deputies from Eisenkot’s bloc would vote in favor of his government, compared to 46 deputies loyal to Netanyahu. The other 26 representatives, belonging to the Arab and Haredi parties, may abstain from voting, allowing the government to gain confidence without an absolute majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
Netanyahu said, “Instead of seeking to form a fragile and dangerous government...let us meet in one room without preconditions, put aside all our differences and all forms of boycott, and reach agreements regarding the security of the state and its future.”
Eisenkot responded minutes later, describing Netanyahu's call to negotiate and form a national unity government as a "hoax", on the eve of scheduled talks between their two parties on Sunday. He accused him of waging "a battle aimed at obstructing the formation of a new government."
Eisenkot said, “Netanyahu calls for pre-scheduled negotiations, and stresses that he wants unity, but... he sows division and inflames tensions as if there is no tomorrow,” considering that his rival is “aware of his loss in the elections.” He addressed him by saying, "Nice try, but these tricks do not fool me. They do not fool the citizens of Israel either."
Eisenkot received the support of 67 deputies following the legislative elections that took place on October 27, but did not result in a clear majority. He was tasked with forming the government, and he has a deadline of 28 days ending on December 6, which can be extended by 14 days.
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