Ma'an -- De facto security forces blew up a house late Friday night, witnesses said, belonging to the leader of a radical armed group at the center of clashes that have left at least eight Palestinians dead in the Gaza Strip. There were no immediate reports of casualties in that latest report, which could not be independently confirmed by Ma'an. But sources said the home belonged to Sheikh Abdel-Latif Abu Moussa, leader of Jund Ansar Allah ("Warriors of God"), a radical armed group thought to be ideologically aligned with Al-Qaeda, although not officially. The Gaza-based de facto Interior Ministry issued a statement late Friday night, calling Jund Ansar Allah "mentally ill," and vowing to deal harshly with any further provocation.
Reports included claims that a senior member of the Al-Qassam Brigades had been killed at some point during the evening, and that a young girl had died. Neither could be independently verified.