Top Hamas commanders among 20 terrorists killed in Gaza in a month: Israel

Israel has said that its troops have killed more than 20 Hamas fighters in Gaza over the past month, including several field commanders and a cell leader involved in the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.

Around 1,200 people were killed, and 250 civilians were taken hostage by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Sunday announced that among those eliminated was Yousef Mahmoud Mohammad Jumaa, who led a Hamas cell that infiltrated Kibbutz Alumim and participated in the October 7 assault.

"ELIMINATED: Over the past month, IDF troops eliminated several Hamas terrorists and field commanders in Gaza. Among them was Yousef Mahmoud Mohammad Jumaa," the IDF said in a post on its official X account.

The military added that the group of slain operatives included others who crossed into Israel during the October 7 attack that triggered the ongoing war.

While Israel highlighted its gains against Hamas, Palestinian officials reported widespread destruction and displacement in Gaza City on Sunday, a report by news agency Reuters claimed.

It said that Israeli forces destroyed at least 30 residential buildings and forced thousands of people to flee their homes amid continued strikes.

Israel has said it intends to seize Gaza City, describing it as the last major bastion of Hamas fighters.

Officials argue that taking control of the area is central to their campaign to dismantle the group’s military and political structures.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the region on Sunday for talks with Israeli leaders.

He is expected to stay until Tuesday and focus discussions on freeing the remaining hostages and planning for Gaza’s reconstruction once fighting subsides.

"What's happened, has happened," Rubio told reporters before his arrival. "We're gonna meet with them (the Israeli leadership). We're gonna talk about what the future holds".

Washington estimates that Hamas continues to hold about 48 hostages from the October 7 attack, of whom 20 are believed to still be alive.

The push in Gaza comes as Hamas’ political leadership faces mounting pressure after being directly targeted outside the enclave.

ISRAEL ATTACKED DOHA

The latest Israeli aggression in Gaza came just days after the country’s forces carried out an airstrike in Qatar’s Doha, hitting residences that officials said were being used by Hamas leaders who reached their for negotiations. The attack drew widespread condemnation across the region.

In response, Qatar announced it will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday to discuss possible next steps and collective action.

The Doha strike marked a major expansion of Israel’s campaign against Hamas beyond Gaza.

Multiple explosions struck the Qatari capital on September 9, killing at least five people, including Hammam al-Hayya, son of senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, and Jihad Labad, a close aide.

Israel admitted carrying out the attack, saying it targeted senior Hamas leadership while using precision munitions to limit civilian casualties.

Hamas condemned the operation, saying its position in ceasefire talks would not change despite the killings.

Qatar’s foreign ministry strongly denounced the strikes, calling them a violation of international law and sovereignty.

The Doha assault has intensified diplomatic tensions even as Israel continues its offensive in Gaza and the US pushes for progress on a ceasefire and hostage release.

- Ends

With agency inputs