Hamas confirms killing of senior commander in Israeli strike

Hamas has confirmed the killing of Raed Saad, one of its senior military commanders, in an Israeli attack near Gaza City, making it the most high-profile assassination of a Hamas leader since the October ceasefire agreement.

In a video statement released on Sunday, Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s chief in Gaza, said that Raed Saad was among five people killed in the Israeli strike. He described the attack as a serious escalation and accused Israel of deliberately violating the ceasefire agreement reached in October.

The Israeli military said on Saturday that it had successfully targeted and killed Saad in an operation in the Gaza City area. According to local sources, the strike also wounded at least 25 people, including civilians.

Speaking in his address, al-Hayya called on international mediators—particularly the United States, which he described as the primary guarantor of the ceasefire agreement—to intervene and compel Israel to adhere to the terms of the deal. He specifically appealed to US President Donald Trump, urging Washington to take responsibility for enforcing the agreement.

“In the wake of Israel’s continued violations, including the latest assassination of a Hamas commander just yesterday, we call on the mediators and especially the US administration to force Israel to respect the ceasefire deal and implement it,” al-Hayya said.

According to authorities in Gaza, Israeli attacks have continued almost daily since the ceasefire came into effect, with officials reporting nearly 800 Israeli strikes during this period. They say these attacks have resulted in the deaths of at least 386 Palestinians, which they describe as a clear and ongoing breach of the ceasefire agreement.

The killing of Raed Saad has intensified concerns over the fragility of the ceasefire, raising fears that continued targeted assassinations and military operations could lead to a renewed escalation of violence in Gaza.

Source: Al Jazeera