Colonel Wael El-Ledawi, who led the Hamas-run internal security service in central Gaza, and Major Ramez Abu Zraiq were killed when an Israeli strike hit their vehicle in Deir Al-Balah, according to medics and local officials.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
An Israeli airstrike in central Gaza killed a senior commander in the Hamas-run Palestinian internal security service and another officer Sunday, adding to the continuing casualties from near-daily attacks despite an October ceasefire that ended full-scale fighting.
Colonel Wael El-Ledawi, the head of the internal security service in central Gaza, was traveling through Deir Al-Balah with Major Ramez Abu Zraiq when their vehicle was struck, according to medics, police officials and the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.
Both men were killed in the attack.
The Israeli military confirmed that it had carried out a strike targeting a Hamas militant but did not identify the person or provide further operational details.
El-Ledawi’s death follows a series of Israeli attacks against members and facilities of the Hamas-led police and internal security apparatus. Israel has killed dozens of personnel from those forces in recent months, including senior officials.
Israeli authorities have accused many of the targeted officers of also serving in Hamas’ armed wing and presenting immediate threats to Israel or to Israeli forces operating inside the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has rejected Israel’s justification for the attacks, arguing that strikes on police personnel, security officials and administrative headquarters are intended to undermine public order and create instability across the enclave.
The group has also described those operations as violations of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that took effect in October.
The truce brought an end to large-scale combat between Israel and Hamas but did not stop recurring Israeli strikes or isolated militant attacks. Gaza health officials say more than 1,190 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began.
Hamas generally does not publicly report the number of its fighters or security personnel killed.
Four Israeli soldiers have been killed by militants in Gaza during the same period.
Israel is estimated to exercise effective control over approximately 64% of the coastal territory. Much of Gaza has been devastated by the two-year Israeli military campaign launched after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.
Nearly all of Gaza’s roughly 2 million residents are now concentrated in a narrow coastal area that remains under Hamas control. Many are living in makeshift tents or damaged buildings amid severe humanitarian conditions.
Sunday’s strike underscored the continued fragility of the ceasefire, which has limited the scale of the war without ending the violence or resolving the dispute over Israel’s continuing military operations inside Gaza.
Original article
Comments