Israel claims to have killed one of Hamas' last senior officials

Palestinians watch as smoke rises following Israeli strikes, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip.

Credit: Reuters Photo

The Israeli military said on Friday it killed senior Hamas official Izz al-Din Kassab, describing him as one of the last high-ranking members of Hamas responsible for coordinating with other groups in the Gaza Strip, in an airstrike in Khan Younis.

The Palestinian group mourned the death of Kassab in a statement, adding that he was killed along with another Hamas official named Ayman Ayesh in an Israeli attack on their car in the enclave.

Hamas sources told Reuters that Kassab was a local group official in Gaza but not a member of its decision-making political office.