Israeli Forces Eliminate Hamas Politburo Member in Gaza Hospital Strike
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On March 24, 2023, Israeli forces conducted an airstrike on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, Gaza, killing Hamas politburo member Ismail Barhoum and at least four others. This strike is part of intensified military operations in the region, with health officials reporting a high death toll since October 7, 2023.
Key Takeaways
- Israeli forces killed Hamas politburo member Ismail Barhoum.
- Airstrike occurred at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis.
- At least four other Palestinians were also killed in the attack.
- The Israeli military has intensified operations in southern Gaza.
- Death toll in Gaza exceeds 50,000 since October 7, 2023.
Gaza/Jerusalem, March 24 (NationPress) The Israeli army has successfully targeted Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas' politburo, alongside at least four other Palestinians during an airstrike on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, located in the southern Gaza Strip, as reported by Palestinian medical sources and witnesses.
Witnesses and local sources informed the Xinhua news agency that an Israeli drone struck the second floor of the emergency building within the complex, specifically targeting the surgery department with at least one missile, resulting in a significant fire.
Medical personnel confirmed to Xinhua that they quickly retrieved the bodies of five individuals, including Barhoum, along with several injured people, some of whom are in critical condition.
“The Israeli army targeted the surgery building within the Nasser Medical Complex a short time ago, where numerous patients and injured individuals were present, leading to a large fire,” stated Gaza-based health authorities in an evening press release.
Subsequently, Hamas confirmed Barhoum's death, noting he was undergoing treatment in a hospital ward at the time of the attack, according to Xinhua.
In the meantime, Israeli forces announced on Sunday night that they had executed an operation targeting the Nasser Hospital compound in southern Gaza, asserting they aimed at a Hamas official.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet domestic security agency issued a joint statement identifying the targeted individual as a “key” Hamas militant who was “operating inside the Nasser Hospital compound” in Khan Younis, though they did not disclose the official's name or identity.
They further stated that “the strike was conducted following an extensive intelligence-gathering process and with precise munitions, to minimize damage to the surrounding area as much as possible”.
This strike follows an escalation in Israeli operations in southern Gaza, with military officials indicating earlier on Sunday that they had encircled an entire district and ordered evacuations.
The Israeli military resumed both air and ground operations in Gaza earlier this week, attributing this to Hamas's refusal to accept revised terms for extending the initial ceasefire. According to Gaza health officials, the death toll from the conflict since October 7, 2023, has exceeded 50,000.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz praised the elimination of Barhoum, stating he was “the new Hamas Prime Minister in Gaza, who succeeded Issam Da’alis, the previous Prime Minister who was killed a few days prior”.
Barhoum was the fourth member of Hamas’s political bureau to be killed since the resumption of airstrikes in the region last Tuesday, following a deadlock concerning the continuation of the ceasefire. Earlier on Sunday, an airstrike near Khan Younis resulted in the death of Salah al-Bardawil, another senior Hamas political bureau member.
Barhoum was affiliated with Hamas’s political wing and was known to be involved in financial operations for the group, as per the European Union, which imposed sanctions on him the previous year. He was reportedly responsible for managing Hamas’s finances.
Out of the 20 members of Hamas’s political bureau elected in 2021, 11 have been assassinated during the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Seven are believed to be either outside the Gaza Strip or at significant risk.
In a separate announcement on Sunday, the IDF and Shin Bet security agency disclosed that two senior commanders of Hamas's military wing had been killed in recent airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.
The Nasser Medical Complex, recognized as the second-largest hospital in Gaza, has faced multiple Israeli assaults since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023.
