Israel announces killing of Hamas official

Despite the ceasefire

Israel announces killing of Hamas official

There has actually been a ceasefire between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas since October. But a high-ranking Hamas official was said to have been killed in the Gaza Strip two weeks ago.

The Israeli army announced the killing of a financial official of the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip almost two weeks ago. Abdel Hai Sakut was killed on December 13 along with the commander responsible for Hamas weapons production in the Gaza Strip, Raed Saad, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Wednesday. Sakut belonged to the “financial department of the armed wing” of Hamas.

Last year, Sakut was responsible for “collecting and transferring tens of millions of dollars to Hamas’ armed wing,” Adraee said.

The Israeli army announced the killing of Saad on December 14th. The Hamas chief in the Gaza Strip, Khalil al-Hajja, had confirmed the death of the commander and “his companions”, but did not name Sakut.

There has been a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip since October 10th. However, both sides repeatedly accuse each other of violating the ceasefire. The upcoming second phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan calls for the disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of an international stabilization force (ISF). However, the terrorist organization strictly refuses to lay down its weapons.

The humanitarian situation in the blocked area has improved somewhat since the ceasefire, but overall the situation remains precarious. According to the latest information from the UN emergency relief office Okha, more than 80 percent of the buildings in the coastal strip on the Mediterranean have been destroyed or damaged. Many people who have lost their homes continue to live in tent camps and are exposed to winter weather.

In October 2023, Hamas fighters and allied militias attacked Israel and killed more than 1,200 people. Around 250 people were kidnapped as hostages in the Gaza Strip. According to Hamas, more than 70,000 people were killed in the resulting war in the Gaza Strip. The information cannot be independently verified.