- Marwan Issa, Hamas commander, killed in Israeli airstrike
- U.S. supports Israel, cautions against escalating civilian casualties
- Biden, Netanyahu discuss strategic objectives amid Gaza conflict
Marwan Issa, the commander of Hamas, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, according to White House spokesman Jake Sullivan.
Mr. Issa, in his capacity as deputy military commander, would become the highest-ranking leader of Hamas to perish since the commencement of hostilities on October 7.
The Palestinian organisation in charge of Gaza has not commented officially on allegations of his demise.
Mr. Issa was reportedly slain last week in an attack on a tunnel complex beneath the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to Israeli media outlets.
The deputy commander of the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, was among the most sought individuals in Israel. The European Union, which included the Hamas leader on its terrorist registry, established a direct connection between him and the group’s October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals.
A prisoner of Israel for five years throughout the initial Palestinian uprising, known as the intifada, he was subsequently held by the Palestinian Authority from 1997 until the commencement of the second intifada in 2000.
Since October 7, the Israeli military has eliminated several senior leaders affiliated with Hamas. The political chief of Hamas, Saleh al-Arouri, perished in an explosion that occurred in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut. It is generally accepted that Israel was at fault for that attack.
Other Hamas commanders, according to Mr. Sullivan, national security adviser for the White House, are “likely deep within the Hamas tunnel network” in Gaza, where they are concealed.
He vowed that the United States would continue to assist Israel in its pursuit of senior Hamas officials, adding, “Justice will also be served against them.”
On the other hand, he emphasised that in their first conversation in a month, U.S. President Joe Biden had conveyed growing concern over the escalating number of civilian deaths in Gaza during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
As per Mr. Sullivan, the U.S. president reaffirmed his support for Israel and its “right to pursue Hamas.” However, he added that an Israeli military invasion of Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where an estimated one million refugees have sought refuge throughout the conflict, would be a “mistake.”
The U.S. national security adviser told reporters that the invasion “would result in additional innocent civilian deaths, exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza, and further isolate Israel internationally.”
More than 31,000 Palestinian civilians have perished since the conflict began on October 7, according to the Gaza health ministry, which Hamas administers. The loss of life has caused widespread international censure and estranged a significant number of Israel’s allies.
Mr. Sullivan said President Biden urged Mr. Netanyahu to pursue a “clear, strategic end game” in Gaza during the call.
The president reiterated to the prime minister today that while they both hold the objective of defeating Hamas in mind, they maintain that achieving this requires a sustainable and coherent strategy.
In the coming days, a “senior interagency team comprised of military, intelligence, and humanitarian officials” will travel to Washington to discuss U.S. concerns regarding an invasion of Rafah, per the agreement reached between Mr. Biden and the Israeli leader.
The assumption is that Israel will postpone its assault until that meeting takes place, according to Mr. Sullivan.
Mr. Netanyahu stated on X, formerly Twitter, that he and the other person “discussed the most recent developments in the war” and Israel’s objectives.
“Eliminating Hamas, liberating all of our hostages, and ensuring that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel” were among these objectives, according to the Israeli prime minister. “Humanitarian assistance will be provided in support of these endeavours.”
The rate at which senior Democrats in the United States criticise Mr. Netanyahu is accelerating.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called for new elections in Israel on Thursday, claiming that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu placed his “political survival” ahead of the nation’s interests.
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In opposition, the Likud party of Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Israel did not resemble a “banana republic” and that “a large majority” supported the prime minister’s policies.
Mr. Biden disclosed to reporters from the Oval Office on Friday that he anticipated Mr. Schumer’s remarks. However, the president stated that the Senate leader had “expressed grave concern that many Americans and himself share.”
Away from Gaza, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will make his sixth trip to the Middle East since the outbreak of the conflict there this week.
The international community will convene in Egypt and Saudi Arabia for him to debate ceasefire efforts aimed at securing the release of all remaining hostages.
Tuesday is the scheduled start of negotiations in Qatar by Israeli negotiators to reconstitute ceasefire negotiations.
