An armoured personnel service (APC) maneuvers close to the Israel-Gaza border, amid the continued battle between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in Israel, March 10, 2024. REUTERS
JERUSALEM/CAIRO — Israel was checking on Monday whether or not it had killed Hamas’s deputy army chief in an airstrike in Gaza, the Israeli Protection Forces (IDF) mentioned, as prospects pale for a ceasefire to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
If his loss of life is confirmed, Marwan Issa would be the highest-ranking official from the Islamist militant motion killed by Israel in 5 months of warfare that has pulverized the coastal enclave and killed tens of hundreds of Palestinians.
Issa, often known as the ‘Shadow Man’ for his skill to remain out of sight, was considered one of three prime Hamas leaders who deliberate the Oct. 7 assault on Israel that triggered the warfare and who’re believed to have been directing Hamas’s army operations since then.
READ: Ramadan brings no aid as Israel-Hamas warfare rages in Gaza
Talking at a briefing with reporters, IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari mentioned Israel had bombed the Al-Nusseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Saturday evening following intelligence in regards to the location of Issa, second-in-command of Hamas’s army wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades.
Two Hamas leaders — Issa and one other commander chargeable for Hamas weapons in Gaza — used the underground compound that Israeli jets struck in a joint operation with Israel’s Shin Guess safety service, Hagari mentioned.
“Beside them within the tunnel there have been different terrorists,” he mentioned however added that it was nonetheless not clear whether or not Issa had been killed.
A Palestinian supply mentioned the Israelis had hit a spot the place they thought Issa was hiding, however might give no particulars of his destiny.
“There nonetheless aren’t indications with certainty,” Chili Tropper, an Israeli cupboard minister, informed Israel’s Channel 13 tv on Monday.
READ: Hamas official says it has obtained new proposal for three-stage truce
“If certainly Marwan Issa was eradicated, who in some ways is Hamas’ army chief of workers, it’s an ideal achievement by the IDF and Shin Guess, he mentioned.
Fighters from Hamas, which administers Gaza, killed 1,200 individuals within the Oct. 7 assault and took 253 hostages, in keeping with Israeli tallies, an assault that sparked one of many bloodiest wars within the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian battle.
Israel’s retaliatory army marketing campaign on the densely populated enclave has killed greater than 31,000 Palestinians, in keeping with Gaza authorities, whereas infrastructure has been obliterated and a whole bunch of hundreds at the moment are near famine.
Issa on Israel’s ‘most needed’ checklist
Issa is on Israel’s “most needed” checklist, along with Mohammed Deif, commander of the al-Qassam Brigades, and Hamas’s Gaza chief, Yahya Sinwar.
Issa’s loss of life, if confirmed, might additionally complicate efforts to safe a ceasefire and the discharge of hostages, though Israel says talks are persevering with by means of Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
Hamas blames Israel for refusing to provide ensures to finish the warfare and withdraw troops. Israel needs a short lived truce to safe the discharge of hostages in return for letting some Palestinians prisoners go free, however has mentioned it is not going to cease its warfare till it has defeated Hamas.
Negotiators had needed a halt in hostilities for Ramadan, which started on Monday, however an Israeli airstrike on a home in Gaza Metropolis killed 16 individuals and wounded a number of others, Palestinian well being officers mentioned.
Israel additionally killed two Palestinians in an airstrike on a home within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis as residents have been breaking the primary day of the Ramadan quick, Gaza well being officers mentioned.
The IDF didn’t instantly touch upon these incidents. However it mentioned its forces had killed about 15 militants in shut fight and airstrikes in central Gaza and that commandos had focused websites believed for use by Hamas militants in Khan Younis.
Professional-Palestinian teams elsewhere continued to make their presence felt. Lebanon’s Hezbollah mentioned it had launched a number of drones at an outpost within the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Monday, and two different incidents have been reported in Pink Sea waters the place Yemen’s Houthis have been attacking ships.
At the very least one civilian has been killed and several other others injured after Israel launched 4 strikes on japanese Lebanon’s metropolis of Baalbek on Monday, two safety sources and the Baalbek governor, Bashir Khader, informed Reuters.
Israeli strikes had been largely restricted to the southern border area of Lebanon, though they’ve edged additional north in latest weeks, a broadening of Israel’s marketing campaign, a Lebanese safety supply informed Reuters.
Guterres appeals for truce, hostage launch, help
The battle has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million individuals, with many cramped into makeshift tents with little in the way in which of meals or fundamental medical provides within the southern metropolis of Rafah.
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres appealed for a truce in Gaza, the discharge of hostages and the elimination of obstacles to life-saving help. He mentioned a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah might put the individuals of Gaza in “an excellent deeper circle of hell.”
The U.N. estimates 1 / 4 of the inhabitants are liable to hunger, and is barely scratching the floor of every day wants. Help businesses at the moment are specializing in delivering help by sea and thru air drops. The U.N. has beforehand accused Israel of blocking help to Gaza.
Jordanian state media mentioned there had been seven humanitarian air drops on Monday, with Jordan, the U.S., Egypt, France and Belgium taking part. Morocco was additionally scheduled to hitch the hassle, Israeli media reported.
The U.S. army mentioned it had parachuted greater than 27,600 meals and 25,900 bottles of water into northern Gaza.
A authorities supply in Cyprus mentioned a vessel carrying 200 tonnes of help was scheduled to set sail on Monday. The U.S. army mentioned its vessel, the Normal Frank S. Besson, was additionally en route to offer humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea.
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Senior Hamas official Basem Naim welcomed the help hall however urged the U.S. to work to finish the warfare.