Five people, including a Hamas commander, were killed in an Israeli military attack in the West Bank, the Times of Israel reported on the 3rd (local time).
According to the report citing Palestinian media, the Israeli military attacked a vehicle transporting members of a militant organization in the Tulkarem area of the West Bank that morning. It is reported that Haisem Balidi, who commanded the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, was among those killed. The identities of the other four deceased have not been disclosed.
Tulkarem is an area located near the barrier separating Israel and the West Bank. Since the outbreak of the Gaza Strip war in October last year, the Israeli military has been conducting counterterrorism operations in the West Bank.
News of the deaths of Hamas leadership has been continuously reported recently. Earlier, on the 31st of last month, Hamas's top political leader Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Following this, Iran and Hamas identified Israel as the perpetrator and declared retaliation. Israel has remained silent regarding Haniyeh's assassination.
However, on the 1st, it was confirmed that Muhammad Deif, the commander of the al-Qassam Brigades who led Hamas's surprise attack on October 7 last year, was killed last month in an Israeli airstrike along with Rafah Salameh, the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade.
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