Israel Says Strike Killed 13 Hamas Terrorists; Hamas Calls Victims 'Innocent Civilians'

The Israeli military (IDF) and Hamas have issued conflicting statements regarding a recent strike on the Ain al-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, highlighting a sharp dispute over the identity of the 13 people killed.

The IDF stated on Friday that the strike earlier in the week eliminated "13 Hamas terrorists."

The strike was described as a "precise IDF strike targeting the organisation's training compound" in southern Lebanon.

The IDF specifically named one of the killed as Jihad Saidawi (also called Jawad Sidawi), alleging he was "involved in training terrorists in order to carry out terror attacks from Lebanese territory" against Israel.

The military affirmed it "is operating against Hamas's establishment in Lebanon, and will continue to operate against Hamas terrorists wherever they operate." Israel accused "terrorist organisations" of continuing to "cynically exploit the population and civilian infrastructure" in the Palestinian camps.

On Tuesday, Lebanese authorities reported the strike killed at least 13 people without providing their identities.

Hamas in Lebanon published a death notice for 13 individuals (including Saidawi) on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the militant group denied having military installations in the camps, calling Israel's claims "lies."

In a statement on Thursday, Hamas described the strike as a "horrific massacre that caused the deaths of several innocent civilian martyrs." They released photos of 13 young-looking men, stating the targeted site was an "open sports field frequented by the youth of the camp" and that "those targeted were a group of young boys."

A secondary school in the camp confirmed that two of its students were killed, publishing a photo of two adolescent boys.

Ain al-Helweh, located near the coastal city of Sidon, is Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp and is heavily crowded.

The strike occurred despite a ceasefire agreed upon last November, which aimed to halt hostilities between Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah. The Israeli army did not immediately provide the names of the 12 other individuals killed, beyond Saidawi.