Amid the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah strikes, Hamas on Monday confirmed that its commander Fatah Sharif al-Amine was killed in an Israeli airstrike in an A1-Bass camp in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military had earlier announced that the Hamas commander was eliminated in a targeted operation in Lebanon.
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The militant group in a statement noted that Fatah, the leader of the Hamas in Lebanon, was killed in an airstrike on his "home in the Al-Bass camp in south Lebanon.” He died along with his family, including his wife and two children, it added.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military in a statement said, “Fatah, head of the Lebanon branch of the Hamas terrorist organisation,” was eliminated in a joint IDF and ISA intelligence-based activity in Lebanon.
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It also added that Sharif was responsible for coordinating Hamas’ terror activities in Lebanon with Hezbollah operatives. “He was also responsible for Hamas’ efforts in Lebanon to recruit operatives and acquire weapons,” added the statement.
Israel also said that Fatah led the Hamas terrorist organisation’s force buildup efforts in Lebanon.
Earlier, similar strikes carried out by Israel had killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri and six other militants in Beirut, Lebanon. Hamas commander Samer al-Hajj was also killed in a strike on a vehicle in the south Lebanon city of Sidon.
Hezbollah vows to continue fight after Nasrallah's death
Hezbollah's acting leader Naim Kassem on Monday vowed to continue the battle against Israel and said the group was prepared for a long fight.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, along with 19 other top leaders of the group, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut on Friday.
In a televised address, Qassem said Hezbollah is ready to confront any ground invasion of Lebanon.
"We will face any possibility and we are ready if the Israelis decide to enter by land and the resistance forces are ready for a ground engagement," said Qassem.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Monday that his government was ready to fully implement a UN resolution that had aimed to end Hezbollah's armed presence south of the Litani River as part of an agreement to stop the war with Israel.