Israeli Airstrike Kills Hamas Spokesperson Qanoua in Northern Gaza

Hamas-affiliated media reports that Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua, a spokesman for Hamas, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza. 

Hamas-affiliated media reported Thursday that Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua, a spokesman for Hamas, was killed in an Israeli attack in northern Gaza. His tent in Jabalia was the focus of the attack, which also injured multiple other people. According to medical authorities, at least six persons were killed in Gaza City and one in Khan Younis by separate attacks.

The most recent well-known Hamas leader to be assassinated since Israel reopened its operations in Gaza is al-Qanoua. Senior Hamas political office officials Salah al-Bardaweel and Ismail Barhoum were assassinated by Israeli soldiers earlier this week. According to Hamas sources, 11 members of the 20-member decision-making committee of Hamas have been murdered since the war started in late 2023.

After a two-month ceasefire broke down, Israel started significant military operations last week, with both Israel and Hamas accusing one another of breaking the truce. According to Gaza’s health ministry, since March 18, at least 830 Palestinians have been killed in the renewed Israeli bombardment, with more than half of them being women and children.

Of the roughly 250 hostages abducted during its October 7, 2023, onslaught on Israel, 59 are still in the hands of Hamas. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, justified the most recent strikes by claiming that Hamas had turned down offers for an extension of the ceasefire. If Hamas does not free the remaining hostages, he threatened, Israel might take over Gaza.