[
The Israeli army on Thursday introduced a precision operation to kill Hamas members in Gaza, a day after an assault there killed kinfolk of one of many group's most senior leaders.
Ismail Haniyeh, who leads Hamas' political wing from exile, stated his three sons had been killed in an Israeli air strike in northern Gaza on Wednesday. Hamas-affiliated media reported that three of Mr. Haniyeh's grandsons had been additionally killed within the assault.
On Thursday, Israel's army stated its forces had carried out a “exact, intelligence-based operation” in central Gaza in a single day with fighter jets and floor troops to “get rid of terrorist operatives and assault terrorist infrastructure.” .
It was not instantly clear whether or not the operation was associated to an assault a day earlier towards Mr. Haniyeh's sons, whom the Israeli army stated had been “on their solution to perform terrorist actions in central Gaza.” It didn’t present additional particulars and the military's claims couldn’t be confirmed.
The Israeli army stated Haniyeh's three sons it killed – Amir, Mohammed and Hazem – had been energetic in Hamas army operations, with Amir as a cell commander and his brothers as low-level operatives. The Israeli army stated that one of many brothers was additionally concerned within the seize of the hostages, with out specifying which brother.
The assault got here as worldwide negotiators are working to safe a ceasefire in Gaza and the discharge of hostages. These talks have stalled over disagreements over particulars, with a senior Hamas official saying on Wednesday that the group didn’t have 40 surviving hostages who met the factors for change beneath the proposal beneath dialogue.
Whereas Mr Haniyeh is one in every of Hamas's most senior officers, analysts stated his sons had been much less integral to the operation – and their killings had been primarily meant to ship a message to the group's management amid ceasefire talks.
“While you discuss seniority in Hamas, whether or not it's the political or army department, his son's title doesn't often come up,” stated Tahani Mostafa, a senior analyst on the suppose tank Worldwide Disaster Group.
Ms Mustafa stated the timing of the strike seemed to be an try to derail the talks.
However Bilal Saab, affiliate fellow within the Center East and North Africa program at Chatham Home, stated the strike could have been aimed toward satisfying home audiences or giving Israel leverage in negotiations after a six-month struggle.
“It is a political victory for Israel greater than anything,” Mr. Saab stated, including: “This was a success meant to strain Hamas into making concessions on hostage negotiations.”
Mr Haniyeh stated on Wednesday that Israel was “delusional if it thinks that by killing my youngsters, we’ll change our place within the negotiations”.
Energetic combating in Gaza has reached its lowest degree since November. Israel withdrew troops from southern Gaza over the weekend, however stated troops would stay in different elements of Gaza to take care of their “freedom of motion and talent to conduct exact intelligence-based operations”.
The army's reported emphasis on accuracy comes as worldwide criticism intensifies over the struggle's rising Palestinian loss of life toll in Gaza and warnings of famine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated a date has been set for a floor offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza, after US officers warned that the operation could be devastating to civilians. Some analysts have instructed that their threats are a pretense or an try to achieve leverage in ceasefire talks.
The Biden administration has urged Mr Netanyahu to postpone invasion plans and give attention to “different approaches that may goal key parts of Hamas”.