Israel Says It Killed Hamas Weapons Chief In Gaza

Israel said it killed the head of weapons production in Hamas's military wing in a strike in the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

The civil defence agency and medical sources in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory told AFP an Israeli strike killed five people in the Tel al-Hawa district, southwest of Gaza City.

Contacted by AFP, the army said there was only one strike conducted in the area which killed the top Hamas figure, Raad Saad.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that "in response to the detonation of a Hamas explosive device that wounded our forces today in the Yellow Area of the Gaza Strip... (they) instructed the elimination of the terrorist Raad Saad".

Under the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Israeli troops have withdrawn to positions behind the so-called Yellow Line, though they are still in control of more than half the territory.

Netanyahu and Katz described Saad as "one of the architects" of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

The Israeli army said Saad was the head of the weapons production headquarters of Hamas's military wing who led the group's "force build-up".

Family sources confirmed his death to AFP, and said the funeral would be held on Sunday.

Israel's military earlier on Saturday said two reserve soldiers were lightly injured "as a result of an explosive device that detonated during an operation to clear the area of terrorist infrastructure in southern Gaza".

The ceasefire that came into effect on October 10 has halted the fighting between Israel and Hamas, but it remains fragile with each side accusing the other of violating its terms.
-AFP