Top Hamas Military Leader Possibly Killed in Israel Strike on Gaza

Israel investigates alleged death of Hamas military leader Marwan Issa in airstrike

Israel-Gaza conflict continues amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations

JERUSALEM/CAIRO — Israel is currently investigating whether Marwan Issa, the second-highest military leader of Hamas, was killed in an airstrike, according to media reports. The incident occurred as negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, face difficulties.

If confirmed, Issa’s death would mark the highest-ranking official from the Islamist terrorist group to be eliminated by Israel during the five-month-long war, resulting in the destruction of the Palestinian enclave and significant loss of life.

Hamas military wing target bombed by Israeli forces

Israeli Army Radio stated that the Israeli military bombed the central Gaza-based Al-Nusseirat camp on Saturday night. The airstrike was targeted at a site where Issa, the second-in-command of Hamas’ military wing known as the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, was believed to be located. The attack resulted in the death of five individuals.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israel is investigating whether Issa was among the fatalities, although neither the Israeli military nor Hamas officials have commented on these claims.

The Israeli military did confirm that its forces had killed terrorists in central Gaza in the previous 24 hours but did not mention the Al-Nusseirat camp specifically.

Implications of Issa’s possible death

Marwan Issa, together with Hamas military wing head Mohammed Deif and Hamas’ leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, are high on Israel’s most-wanted list, believed to have orchestrated the Oct. 7 attack that triggered the ongoing conflict. The Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took 253 hostages, according to the Israeli count. Gaza authorities report more than 31,000 Palestinian fatalities as a result of the war, in addition to severe infrastructure damage and widespread hunger.

If Issa’s death is confirmed, it could complicate ongoing ceasefire efforts and the release of hostages. Israel and Hamas are engaged in talks through the mediation of Egypt and Qatar, and Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, reported that both sides are working to bridge differences and reach agreements. Israel wants a temporary truce to enable a hostage exchange, but it maintains that the war will continue until Hamas is defeated. Hamas accuses Israel of refusing to provide guarantees to end the war and withdraw troops.

Israeli Airstrike Kills 16 People in Gaza City

In the early hours of Monday, an Israeli airstrike targeted a house in Gaza City, resulting in the death of 16 individuals and several injuries, according to Palestinian health officials. The attack took place in Zeitoun, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Gaza City, and targeted the house of the Abu Shammala family. At the time of writing, there has been no immediate Israeli comment regarding this particular airstrike.

Israeli forces have also reported killing approximately 15 terrorists through close combat and airstrikes in central Gaza. Commandos in the Khan Younis area targeted sites that Hamas terrorists were suspected to be utilizing, as the military’s focus has been on this area in recent weeks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting global pressure to protect civilians and reduce the suffering caused by the conflict. The war has already displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million population, forcing many into makeshift tents in southern Rafah city, where they lack access to sufficient food and basic medical supplies.

With an estimated quarter of Gaza’s population at risk of starvation, the flow of aid is severely inadequate. Aid agencies are primarily relying on delivering aid by sea. In this regard, a vessel carrying around 200 tonnes of aid is set to sail on Monday, as confirmed by a government source in Cyprus. The US military’s Gen. Frank S. Besson ship is also en route to provide humanitarian relief to Gaza by sea.

Last week, in his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden pledged that the US would construct a temporary seaport off the Gaza coast to facilitate more aid deliveries. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim has acknowledged the water corridor as a positive development but urged the United States to work towards ending the war, emphasizing that meeting the needs of Gaza’s population is a guaranteed right under international humanitarian law, even during times of conflict.

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Published: March 11, 2024, 9:41 a.m. ET
Author: Reuters
Link: World News