According to Hamas-affiliated media on early Thursday morning, Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua, Hamas spokesperson been killed in an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza, the latest group figure to be killed since Israel resumed its operations in the enclave.
Al-Qanoua was killed after his tent was targeted in Jabalia, according to Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television. The same strike injured several people, while separate attacks killed at least six people in Gaza City and one in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, according to medical sources.
Earlier this week, Israel killed Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas’ political office, and Salah al-Bardaweel, another senior leader.
According to Hamas sources, both Bardaweel and Barhoum were members of Hamas’ 20-member decision-making body, the political office, of which 11 have been dead since the conflict began in late 2023. Last Monday, Israel broke a two-month ceasefire by resuming bombing and ground operations, raising pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages.
Gaza’s health ministry also says at least 830 people, over half of them children and women, have been killed since Israel resumed major military strikes in Gaza on March 18.
Israel and Hamas accused each other of breaching the truce. It had broadly held since January and offered respite from war for the 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza, which has been reduced to rubble.
Hamas, which still holds 59 of the 250 or so hostages Israel says the group seized in its October 7, 2023 attack, accused Israel of jeopardising efforts by mediators to negotiate a permanent deal to end the fighting.
According to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, he said he ordered strike because Hamas had declined proposals to secure a ceasefire extention. On Wednesday he repeated threats to seize territory in Gza if Hamas failed to release the remaining hostages it still holds.
