Drone strike in southern Gaza kills one; Israeli defence minister says offensive will continue

Israeli forces carried out a drone strike in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, on November 15, 2026, killing at least one Palestinian and wounding two others, according to Al Jazeera.

The same day, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel will continue its "offensive policy" in Gaza until the Strip "is demilitarized and there is no Hamas." Demilitarized means cleared of armed forces and weapons, and Hamas is the Palestinian militant group that governs Gaza. Katz's remarks were reported by Al Jazeera.

Katz's statement came while Israel's government is in a caretaker role. The government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been voted out of office, and a caretaker government remains in place to handle affairs in the interim after losing an election or a confidence vote.

The Gaza war has been the central subject of Israeli politics for much of the period since 2023. The strike in Khan Younis adds to the casualties reported in the enclave on the day, and Katz's statement sets out the position of the Israeli defence ministry on the offensive's aims.