Hamas Alleges Israel’s Assassination Of Brigade Commander And Senior Leaders

On Sunday, Hamas’ military wing said that Ahmed Al-Ghandour, who was in charge of the group’s northern brigade, and three other top leaders had been killed during Israel’s offensive against the Islamist movement.

The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement that Ghandour was a member of their military council and named three other leaders who had died. One of them was Ayman Siyyam, who Israeli media said was in charge of the Brigades’ rocket-firing units.

The statement said, “We promise Allah that we will follow their footsteps and that their blood will be a light for the mujahedeen and a fire for the occupiers.” It did not say when they were killed.

The US named Ghandour, whose real name was Abu Anas, a “specially designated global terrorist” in 2017 and put him on a list of people who should not be allowed to do business with the US.

His job at the State Department was to describe him as a former member of Hamas’ Shura council and political bureau.

It said that Ghandour “has been involved in many terrorist operations,” such as an attack on an Israeli military outpost at the Kerem Shalom border crossing in 2006 that killed two and hurt four.

Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier, was captured during that attack and held by Hamas for five years. He was freed in 2011 in exchange for the release of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners.

The news came on the third day of a four-day break in fighting in Gaza. The break started on October 7, when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and killed 1,200 people and captured about 240 others, according to Israeli officials.

Israel’s response was to attack Hamas with bombs and land troops. This has killed almost 15,000 people, mostly civilians, according to Gaza’s government, which is led by Hamas.

As part of the pause deal, Hamas has so far returned 26 Israeli hostages in two groups. In exchange, 78 Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli jails.