Hamas on Tuesday claimed the head of its government in Gaza was killed in a spate of Israeli strikes that killed more than 300 people in the strip.
The Palestinian militant wing said Essam al-Dalis was on a list of officials killed in the aerial action by the Israeli forces.
“These leaders, along with their families, were martyred after being directly targeted by the Zionist occupation forces’ aircraft,” said the Hamas statement, according to news agency AFP.
Hamas claimed that interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa and Bahjat Abu Sultan, director-general of the internal security service, were also eliminated in the strike.
Also read: Israel launches deadly airstrikes on Gaza after truce talks stall; at least 200 killed
Israel carried out strikes in central Gaza, killing over 300 people after the ceasefire negotiations fell apart, according to statements from Gaza rescuers and local authorities.
The reason behind the attack was given as ‘Hamas’s repeated refusal to release our hostages‘, according to Israel.
Amid the attacks, it also announced the closure of schools in the Gaza strip.
Soon after the attacks were reported by local authorities, Israeli army, in a post on Telegram, confirmed it was currently “conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip”.
Before the recent attacks, Israel blocked all food, medicine, fuel, and other supplies for the past two weeks, demanding Hamas accept modifications to their ceasefire deal.
The current truce, in effect since mid-January, has seen Israeli forces kill dozens of Palestinians whom the military says approached its troops or entered restricted areas.
Why did truce talk fail?
The recent Israel-Hamas peace talks failed due to multiple factors, including Hamas’ refusal to release additional hostages, which led to the collapse of the ceasefire and the resumption of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. The escalation of violence, with Israel conducting extensive bombings and Hamas continuing attacks, further eroded any chances of negotiations.
Deep-rooted mutual distrust and conflicting negotiation agendas also played a crucial role, as both sides remained unwilling to compromise on key demands. These longstanding tensions and strategic differences ultimately led to the breakdown of peace efforts.
Israel-Hamas war
The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, firing thousands of rockets and infiltrating Israeli territory. Hamas terrorists stormed Israeli towns near Gaza, killing around 1,200 people, including civilians, and taking over 240 hostages.
In response, Israel declared war on Hamas and launched massive airstrikes followed by a ground invasion of Gaza, aiming to dismantle Hamas’ military infrastructure.
The war escalated due to long-standing tensions over Gaza’s blockade, Palestinian displacement, and repeated clashes between Israel and Hamas over the years.
The humanitarian crisis worsened as thousands of Palestinian civilians were killed in Israeli bombings, further fueling international concerns and failed ceasefire efforts.
