Amid ongoing attacks in Lebanon, the Israel military on Thursday said that a targeted strike carried out three months ago had killed three senior Hamas figures.
Rawhi Mushtaha, the head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip; Sameh al-Siraj, who held the security portfolio on Hamas' political bureau and Hamas' labour committee; and Sami Oudeh, commander of Hamas's general security mechanism were killed in the strike months ago, claimed IDF.
“Hamas did not announce their deaths as it had done following previous eliminations, in order to prevent loss of morale and functioning of its terror operatives,” said a statement by IDF.
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Israel accused the three men of having conducted terrorism against Israel, and said "IDF and ISA will continue to pursue all of the terrorists responsible for the 7 October massacre."
Mushtaha is considered the “right-hand man” to Hamas's top leader Yahya Sinwar. Mushtaha also oversaw Hamas’ financial affairs. In 2015, the United States designated him as a “specially designated global terrorist.”
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The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has killed over 40,000 people in Gaza. Israel has vowed to continue the fight till the militant group is “destroyed”.
Meanwhile, IDF has issued another order to residents of neighbouring Lebanon to flee their homes, including from the city of Nabatieh, one of Lebanon’s largest populated areas.
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Also, over 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon since the recent Israel-Hezbollah attacks.
With Middle East tensions escalating, the emir of Qatar has called for serious ceasefire efforts to stop what he described as Israel’s “aggression” against Lebanon.
Qatar along with the US and Egypt has been acting as a broker in trying to organise a ceasefire and release of hostages with Hamas.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani criticised Israel for carrying out a “collective genocide” on neighbouring countries. He added that no peace is possible in the region unless there is the formation of a Palestinian state.