An Israeli air attack has killed Izz al-Din al-Beik, the head of the Hamas armed wing in the northern Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian sources and Israeli officials.

Al-Beik was killed in an Israeli strike on an apartment building in Gaza City’s Nassr neighbourhood early on Tuesday, medics and Hamas sources said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz posted a joint statement on X, claiming that the military had killed al-Beik.

Al-Beik had assumed command of the Qassam Brigades in northern Gaza during Israel’s genocidal war, succeeding senior commander Ahmed al-Ghandour.

The incident is likely to escalate tensions in Gaza and affect the regional situation.

Source: www.aljazeera.com