Israeli Strikes Kill Five in Gaza, Wound Hamas Leader’s Son

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least five people on Wednesday and seriously wounded the son of a senior Hamas official.

Azzam al-Hajjah, the son of Khalil al-Hajjah, who leads indirect negotiations with Israel, was seriously injured in an attack in Gaza City that also killed another person.

Hamas said the strike was another attempt to target its leadership. Khalil al-Hajjah has lost three sons in previous Israeli operations.

On the same day, further Israeli airstrikes killed four people, including the commander of the anti-narcotics forces in Khan Younis. At least 17 others were injured in the attack on his vehicle.

The Israeli army confirmed one of the strikes, saying the target was a Hamas operative, but made no immediate comment on the other incidents.

The escalation comes as negotiations continue in Cairo, where Hamas and other Palestinian factions are discussing the next phase of the Gaza deal. The US-backed plan envisages the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the reconstruction of the territory in exchange for the disarmament of Hamas, which remains a major sticking point. Hamas has said it will not engage in further negotiations until Israel fulfills its obligations under the first phase of the agreement.

The war began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people. Since then, more than 72,500 people have been killed in Gaza.

(reuters, max)