Tel Aviv: The Israeli army announced on Wednesday that it has successfully targeted and killed a senior commander within the armed wing of Hamas during a recent strike on Gaza City.

According to Anadolu Agency, the military statement reported by the Times of Israel indicated that the Israeli army, in coordination with the internal security service Shin Bet, executed the strike that killed Mahmoud Abu Hisirah. Abu Hisirah was identified as a close aide to Izz ad-Din Haddad, who commands the Al-Qassam's Gaza Brigade. Despite multiple assassination attempts by Israel, Haddad has managed to survive throughout the ongoing conflict and previous engagements, as noted by Israeli media.

The statement further alleged that Abu Hisirah was involved in a notorious 2014 Hamas attack on the Israeli army's Nahal Oz post near Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of five Israeli soldiers. As of now, Hamas has not issued any comments regarding the Israeli claims.

The Israeli army's operations have intensified since March 18, disrupting a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that had been in effect since January. The violence has resulted in the deaths of at least 51,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, in what has been described as a relentless Israeli onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

In a significant development last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.