Xinhua News Agency reported that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on the 10th that the commander in charge of rocket launches in the Gaza Strip, Amir Mansi, a member of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), was killed in an Israeli air strike that day. The IDF regarded Mansi's death as one of the "desperate" signals of Hamas' military strength.
At the same time, Israel's determination to continue advancing its offensive in Gaza has been questioned domestically. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz warned that if the IDF escalated the war, both Israel and Hamas would pay a heavy price.
Sign of Desperation?
Mansi was a senior official of the Qassam Brigades, the main armed faction subordinate to Hamas, responsible for the rocket launch operations of this armed organization in the Gaza Strip. According to the IDF, Mansi had planned dozens of rocket attacks against Israel in the past few weeks. In addition, he also had close ties with Hezbollah in Lebanon.