Israel Checking Reports That Hamas’ Military No. 2 Killed in Gaza Strike

Israel was checking on Monday if Hamas’s second-highest military leader died in an air strike, media said, as talks stumbled to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza war to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

If his death is confirmed, Marwan Issa would be the highest-ranking official from the Islamist terrorist group taken out by Israel in the more than five-month war in the Palestinian enclave that began with Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel.

Israeli Army Radio said Israel had bombed the Al-Nusseirat camp in central Gaza on Saturday night, where it had intelligence about the location of Issa, second-in-command of Hamas’ military wing the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades.

The attack killed five people, the report said.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israel was checking if the fatalities included Issa.

Neither the Israeli military nor Hamas officials immediately commented on the media reports.

On Sunday, in a statement rounding up operations from the previous 24 hours, Israel said its forces had killed terrorists in central Gaza but did not mention the camp.

Issa is high on Israel‘s most wanted list, together with military wing head Mohammed Deif and Hamas’ Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar, who are believed to have masterminded the Oct. 7 attack that triggered the conflict.

Fighters from Hamas, which controls Gaza, killed 1,200 people in a rampage into southern Israel and took 253 hostages, leading Israel to launch a military offensive aimed at wiping out the Palestinian terrorist group.

Issa’s death, if confirmed, could also complicate efforts to secure a ceasefire and the release of hostages, although Israel says talks are ongoing through Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

Israel‘s intelligence agency Mossad said at the weekend that both sides were seeking to narrow gaps and reach agreements.

Hamas blames Israel for refusing to give guarantees to end the war and withdraw troops. Israel wants a temporary truce to allow an exchange of hostages, but has said it will not stop its war until it has defeated Hamas.

Negotiators had wanted a halt in hostilities for Ramadan, which began on Monday.

But in the early hours, an Israeli air strike on a house in Gaza City killed 16 people and wounded several others, Palestinian health officials said.

In central Gaza, the Israeli military said its forces had killed around 15 terrorists in close combat and air strikes. Commandos in Khan Younis, where much of Israel‘s military operation has been focused in recent weeks, targeted sites it said were used by Hamas terrorists, the military said.

Elsewhere around the region, other terrorist groups backed by Iran continued to make their presence felt. Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it launched a multi-drone attack on an outpost in the Golan Heights, while two other incidents were reported in Red Sea waters where Yemen’s Houthis have been attacking ships.