Palestinian medics said an Israeli airstrike Thursday killed at least 10 people and injured 15 others in southern Gaza.
The strike hit a tent camp housing displaced families in the al-Mawasi area west of the city of Khan Younis.
Those killed included Gaza police chief Mahmoud Salah and his aide, Hussam Shahwan, officials said.
Israel warned Wednesday it will intensify its strikes against Hamas if the militant group continues to hold the hostages it took in October 2023 and launches rockets at Israel.
“I want to send a clear message from here to the heads of the terrorists in Gaza: If Hamas does not soon allow the release of the Israeli hostages from Gaza … and continues firing at Israeli communities, it will face blows of an intensity not seen in Gaza for a long time,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
The war in Gaza began with Hamas militants attacking southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 people hostage. About 100 hostages are being held in Gaza, with at least one-third of them believed to be dead.
Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza has killed at least 45,500 Palestinians and injured more than 108,000, according to the health ministry in the enclave. The ministry does not differentiate between militants and civilians in its count.
The war has leveled wide areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of its 2.3 million people.
The United States, United Kingdom, European Union and others have designated Hamas as a terror organization.
Some information for this report was provided by from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.