Mahmoud Abu Watfa, Director-General of the Hamas Ministry of Interior. Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
Israel’s surprise airstrikes overnight killed several senior Hamas officials as the nation attempts to force the terror group into softening its stance in the negotiations or face a renewal of ground operations.
Hamas later confirmed the deaths of Mahmoud Abu Watfa, head of Hamas’ police and internal security services; Issam Da’alis, a member of Hamas’ political bureau; Bahjat Abu Sultan, a high-ranking official in Hamas’ interior ministry; and Ahmad Al-Khatta, the director-general of Hamas’ justice ministry in Gaza.
Eliminated ❌ pic.twitter.com/v7IPe2nAzU
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In addition, two members of Hamas’ political bureau were also reportedly eliminated. They were identified as Yasser Habib and Abu Ubayda al-Jamasi.
Watfa was the director of the Hamas Interior Ministry and oversaw efforts to rebuild Hamas’ rule in the Gaza Strip following the cessation of hostilities, especially through deploying police forces to enforce civilian obedience to Hamas.
Da’alis was a prominent leader in the terror group, serving as head of the Government Administrative Committee, and de facto prime minister.
He was among the most important administrative and organizational figures in the group, managing civilian affairs and services in the Gaza Strip.
Da’alis also served as head of the teachers’ organization at UNRWA, and an advisor to former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Bahjat Abu Sultan held a rank equivalent to brigadier general and was tasked with internal operations in Gaza, having held several important positions in the terrorist organization’s security services.
Ahmad Al-Khatta, known as “Abu Omar,” served as the director general of the terror group’s “Ministry of Justice.”
Israeli analysts now believe that the focus on political targets rather than military commanders is an attempt to pressure Hamas into softening its stance in negotiations and agreeing to the release of more Israeli hostages.
None of the strikes carried out early on Tuesday morning targeted areas where Israel believes the remaining hostages are being held.
Also, the strikes appear to be part of a strategy of increasing pressure, with Israeli leadership watching to observe Hamas’ response before deciding on a renewed ground campaign.
However, Israeli leaders have affirmed that a return to active combat is imminent if Hamas does not agree to release more hostages.
The Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, initially claimed that at least 232 people were killed in the strikes. Later, the ministry released a statement saying that at least 400 people had been killed in the strikes.
The ministry did not release a breakdown of the deaths by age or gender. The health ministry also does not distinguish between militants and civilians. During the war, researchers have pointed out irregularities in the ministry’s death figures.
Izzat al-Risheq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, told CNN that Israel is sacrificing the lives of its remaining hostages in Gaza by resuming the war.
“Netanyahu’s decision to return to war is a decision to sacrifice the prisoners of the occupation and a death sentence against them,” al-Risheq said in a statement to CNN. “The enemy will not achieve through war and destruction what it has failed to achieve through negotiations.”
Several families of the remaining hostages slammed the government’s decision to resume the war in Gaza, saying the “greatest fear of the families, the hostages, and the citizens of Israel has come true.”
There is a disagreement even among hostage families over the best way to secure the hostages’ return, with many favoring negotiations and political agreements, while others favor renewed military pressure.
The United States appears to be supporting Israel in its decision to resume strikes while blaming Hamas for the lack of progress in the negotiations.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman, Brian Hughes, said the militant group “could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war.”
