Israel launched air strikes on Wednesday that critically wounded the son of Hamas’ top negotiator and killed at least five people across the Gaza Strip. Azzam Al Hayya, son of Khalil Al Hayya, was targeted by a strike that also claimed another life in Gaza City. This is not the first time Israel has attempted to kill Al Hayya’s family; three previous attempts have already resulted in fatalities.
Hamas’ official Taher Al Nono condemned the Israeli military for targeting Al Hayya, stating it represents “a peak of moral and ethical degradation.” He added that such actions only strengthen the negotiator’s resolve to defend his people’s rights and their free will. The rogue Israeli military did not immediately respond to the incident.
Earlier in the day, two other Israeli air strikes killed four Palestinians, including a police colonel, according to health officials. An Israeli strike also killed Naseem Al Kalazani, head of the anti-narcotics force in Khan Younis, when it targeted his vehicle near the Al Mawasi area. The attack left at least 17 others wounded.
The violence comes as Hamas and other Palestinian factions held talks with mediators and the Board of Peace’s lead envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, in Cairo to push US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan into its second phase. This week, officials said that Israel and Hamas agreed to the plan in October, which involves Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza and reconstruction starting as Hamas lays down its weapons.
However, Hamas’ disarmament remains a sticking point for talks on implementing the plan and cementing an October ceasefire that halted two years of full-scale war. A Hamas official told Reuters on Wednesday that the group would not engage in serious talks over the implementation of the second phase before Israel fulfills obligations from the first phase of the Gaza deal.
Since the ceasefire agreement took effect, at least 830 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, and more than 72,500 have been killed in Israeli attacks since the Gaza war began in October 2023.