Israeli army claims assassination of Hamas field commander in Gaza

The Israeli army claimed Monday that it killed a field commander from the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, in Gaza.

"Israeli aircraft eliminated Muhammad Salah, who was responsible for projects and development in Hamas' Weapons Manufacturing Headquarters," a military statement said.

The statement alleged that "Salah was part of a project to develop strategic weaponry for Hamas, and he commanded a number of Hamas squads that worked on developing weapons."

Hamas has not commented on the Israeli military's statement as of yet.

Meanwhile, the army said its troops "are continuing intelligence-based, targeted operations in the Rafah area. During targeted raids in the area, the troops located large amounts of weapons."

"In the area of Tel al-Sultan, launchers used to fire at IDF (army) troops during the war were dismantled by IDF troops," the army added.

Simultaneously, the army noted that it is continuing its operational activity in central Gaza. The troops identified several fighters who were operating in the area and eliminated them in a drone strike."

Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack last year by Hamas.

More than 37,500 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and nearly 86,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

More than eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio