Israel confirms death of third-highest Hamas official

Israel’s army has confirmed the killing of Gaza’s third most senior Hamas leader, Marwan Issa, in an airstrike two weeks ago. “We have checked all intelligence information and have reached certainty,” said army spokesman Daniel Hagari.

Issa and another Hamas leader were killed in a “complex and precise attack” by the Israeli Air Force. Israel reported two weeks ago about the attack on a tunnel where Issa was suspected, but did not want to confirm his death at the time.

The attack was carried out on the basis of information from the Israeli domestic secret service Shin Bet. Eight days ago, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the Israeli army had killed Issa. He is the highest-ranking Hamas official killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.

Deputy Commander of the Kassam Brigades

Issa was the deputy commander of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamist Hamas organization. According to Israel, he was responsible for planning the massacre in which terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7 and kidnapped another 250 as hostages in the Gaza Strip.

Issa was deputy to military leader Mohammed Deif. Israel’s goal in its war in Gaza is to capture or kill him and the Hamas leader in the coastal area, Jihia al-Sinwar.

In the evening, Hamas office representative Issat al-Rishk said he had “no confidence” in the Israeli statements about Issa’s death – but without providing any evidence that he was still alive.