An Israeli airstrike killed a senior official of the Hamas-run Palestinian internal security service along with an associate when they were travelling in a vehicle through Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza on Sunday.
According to medics and the Hamas-run interior ministry, the strike killed Colonel Wael El-Ledawi, head of the service in central Gaza, as well as Major Ramez Abu Zraiq, Reuters reported.
Without providing any deatils, the Israeli military informed that it had carried out a major strike against a Hamas militant.
Over the past few months, Israel has targetted dozens of members of the Hamas-led police force, including senior officials. It had accused them of being members of the Hamas armed wing posing threats to Israel and its forces inside Gaza.
Criticising the actions, Hamas claimed that Israeli attacks on the police force and its headquarters are intended to sow chaos and anarchy in the region, besides violating the US-brokered ceasefire.
As per the data shared by Gaza health officials, the latest deaths add to the toll of over 1,190 Palestinians, mostly civilians, killed by Israeli attacks since the ceasefire took effect.
Israel reportedly holds control over an estimated 64 per cent of the coastal Strip, which has been heavily bombarded to ruins by Israel’s two-year military assault following the 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel.