Gaza under siege: Hamas govt heads, 400 Palestinians killed in fresh Israeli bombing

Benjamin Netanyahu-led Israel has resumed heavy bombardment in Gaza. At least 404 Palestinians, including many children, have been killed in the latest Israeli attacks that have shattered a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. 

The Hamas group on Tuesday informed that their governmental heads – Essam al-Dalis, interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa, and Bahjat Abu Sultan, director-general of the internal security service, were among the several who died as Israel continues to pound Gaza.

“These leaders, along with their families, were martyred after being directly targeted by the Zionist occupation forces' aircraft,” read a Hamas statement issued on Tuesday.

Israel, which has enforced a total aid blockade on Gaza for more than two weeks, has issued new forced displacement orders for several areas.

Who Was Essam al-Dalis?

Essam al-Dalis, a member of Hamas's political bureau in Gaza, was elected to Gaza leadership in March 2021 and became the head of its administration in June of that year.

In November 2023, Israel claimed to have bombed a Hamas structure in which Essam al-Dalis was present with other leaders who were killed.

Who was Mahmud Abu Watfa?

Two Hamas leaders told AFP that a strike on Gaza City killed the Hamas government's interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa.

Mahmud Abu Watfa was a senior Hamas official who served as the head of the interior ministry in Gaza. He was responsible for overseeing the police and internal security services within the Gaza Strip.

Who was Bahjat Abu Sultan?

Bahjat Abu Sultan was a senior Hamas official responsible for overseeing the group's internal security operations in the Gaza Strip.

He previously held the position of director-general of the Organization and Administration Authority within Hamas's Interior Ministry.

Why is Israel Bombarding Gaza Again?

Israel has resumed large-scale attacks in Gaza with a wave of airstrikes and artillery fire against targets throughout the devastated territory. More than 400 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more injured, according to Palestinian authorities.

The Israeli government has been threatening to launch an offensive for weeks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the strikes because of a lack of progress in talks to extend the ceasefire. Israel vowed to continue fighting in Gaza until the return of all hostages as it unleashed its most intense strikes since a January ceasefire.

Israeli officials say targeting the Hamas leadership, which has re-emerged in recent weeks to again take control of Gaza, will bring about the release of more hostages. Many hostage families in Israel dispute this.

Notably, Israel now has capabilities it lacked six weeks ago.

Ammunition stocks have been replenished – partly due to US deliveries – and new potential targets among Hamas’ leaders identified. Planes and other equipment have been repaired. Troops have been rested.

The fragile two-month pause in hostilities between Israel and Hamas is now over. It appears very unlikely that a deal that would end the new Israeli attacks can be achieved soon. Israeli officials have made clear that the strikes are merely the beginning of a potentially much broader offensive that will continue until Hamas releases the 59 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.