Gaza strike kills Turkish NGO director as Israel alleges Hamas ties

Monday 05 - 16:30

An Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza has killed the head of a Turkish humanitarian organization, with the Israeli military alleging that the Palestinian director was also an operative of Hamas.

The Israeli army said Sunday that Saqr Nabil Musa Qaisi was targeted in the Khan Younis area and identified him as a member of Hamas's elite Nukhba unit. The military further alleged that Qaisi had maintained contacts with senior figures within Hamas and with individuals linked to Turkey's leadership.

Qaisi headed Deniz Feneri, a Turkish organization operating in Gaza and presenting itself as a humanitarian relief group. According to the Israeli military, however, the organization was being used beyond its stated humanitarian mission and provided employment to individuals the army described as Hamas operatives.

Israeli army alleges misuse of humanitarian structures

The Israeli military said the strike was intended to target Qaisi because of his alleged role within Hamas and accused the organization he led of facilitating the movement's activities under the cover of humanitarian work.

The allegations have not been independently verified in the information provided. They come amid heightened scrutiny of humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, where aid groups have been working under exceptionally difficult conditions since the outbreak of the war.

Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah had earlier reported that the director of Deniz Feneri was killed when an Israeli strike hit a vehicle. The incident adds another layer to the increasingly complex security environment surrounding humanitarian operations in the territory.

The Israeli military also announced a separate strike in the Khan Younis area that killed Muad Gamal Abu Nuseira, whom it identified as a commander in Hamas's military wing.

Ceasefire remains fragile

The latest strikes underscore the continuing volatility in Gaza despite a ceasefire announced in October 2025. Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce, while Israeli forces have continued conducting military operations in the territory.

Israel has maintained that the destruction of Hamas remains a central objective following the group's unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. That assault resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people in Israel, according to the figures cited in the information provided.

Israel's subsequent military campaign has caused enormous destruction across Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas-controlled authorities, has reported more than 74,200 Palestinian deaths since the beginning of the conflict. The figures are regarded by the United Nations as broadly reliable, although they do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

More than 1,400 reported deaths since the truce

According to the latest figures cited by the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 1,440 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire was announced.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, says five of its personnel have died during the same period, along with one civilian contractor.

The contrasting casualty figures and competing accounts of military activity reflect the continuing uncertainty surrounding the ceasefire and the broader conflict. The killing of the Deniz Feneri director is likely to further intensify debate over the role of humanitarian organizations in Gaza and the extent to which aid networks may be vulnerable to infiltration or political and military exploitation.

For civilians in the territory, the renewed strikes highlight the fragility of the truce and the continuing risks surrounding daily life and humanitarian assistance.