GAZA CITY: Hamas said on Tuesday one of its top leaders was killed during an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip.

“Ayman Nofal, ‘Abu Ahmad’, a member of the general military council and commander of the central command in Al-Qassam Brigades, was killed” in an Israeli strike on the central Gaza Strip, Hamas said in a statement.

Confirming his killing, the Israeli military described Nofal as “one of the most dominant figures” in Hamas.

An army statement described Nofal as the group’s former head of military intelligence, who has been involved in manufacturing weapons and directing rockets fired at Israel.Israel had earlier announced the deaths of other Hamas commanders or officials since its bombing of Gaza targets began.

Hamas separately reported Israeli forces targeted a Gaza City home belonging to the family of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, who is based in Qatar.

The property belongs to Haniyeh’s brother, a Gaza security source said.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2023