6 Qassam fighters martyred in Gaza explosion

Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that six Palestinian martyrs arrived at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital following an explosion Saturday evening south of al-Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Spokesman for the Ministry said that other three Qassam fighters were injured in the explosion and transferred to the hospital but their identities have not been known yet.

Local sources and eyewitnesses said that an unexplained massive explosion took place on Saturday evening in al-Zawaideh town in the central Gaza Strip.

The martyrs were identified as Taher Shaheen, 29, Wesam Abu Mahrouk, 37, Mousa Salman, 30, Mahmoud al-Ostaz, 34, Mahmoud al-Tawashi, 27, and Mahmoud al-Qishawi, 27.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas movement, said in a brief statement that “a heinous crime” targeted a group of its fighters during a “complex security and intelligence operation”, holding Israel responsible for this crime.

The Brigades explained that further details will be released later about this serious incident.