Gaza city: The Israeli army announced that it had successfully killed a senior Hamas commander, Imad Hassan Hussein Aslim, in a strike conducted in Gaza earlier this week. Aslim held the position of deputy commander of the Gaza City Brigade and was also the commander of the Zeitoun Battalion within the Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing. The military accused Aslim of participating in the attack on October 7, 2023.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Israeli army revealed that the strike targeting Aslim also aimed at another Hamas commander, though they did not disclose the individual's name. Neither Hamas nor the Qassam Brigades have released any statements in response to the Israeli claims.

In a related event, on Wednesday, Hamas reported the death of Mohammed Awda, another senior Qassam Brigades commander, due to an Israeli strike on a residential building in Gaza City. The strike also resulted in the deaths of Awda's wife and two of his children.

The recent claim from Israel occurs amidst ongoing ceasefire violations that have persisted since last October. Gaza's Health Ministry reports that 922 Palestinians have died and 2,786 have been injured due to these violations. The ceasefire was established following a two-year conflict in Gaza, during which Palestinian authorities report that over 72,000 Palestinians were killed and more than 172,000 were injured, leading to widespread destruction throughout the enclave.