IDF: Belonged to the Sinwar circle
Senior Hamas leader killed in Shifa clinic
March 29, 2024, 12:17 a.m
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Israel’s offensive in Gaza targets the Hamas leaders who planned the October 7 massacre. After the death of number three two weeks ago, the Israeli army announced another success: a close follower of terrorist leader Sinwar was killed in Shifa Hospital.
According to the army, a high-ranking Hamas member was killed during the Israeli military operation in the Shifa hospital in the city of Gaza. Raad Thabit was one of the top ten of the Islamist organization’s military wing, military spokesman Daniel Hagari announced in the evening. According to observers, he also belonged to the inner circle of the Hamas chief in the Gaza Strip, Jihia al-Sinwar. Hamas did not initially confirm his death. As a rule, the terrorist organization does not comment on the killing of its leaders and members.
According to Hagari, 900 suspects have been arrested so far during the operation in the largest clinic in the Gaza Strip. At least 513 of them are said to be members of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). At the time the clinic was converted, there were still 350 patients and doctors in the hospital. Hagari did not say whether all of them were still there. According to the army, around 200 terrorists were killed in and around the hospital during the operation.
2.5 kilometer long tunnel route blasted
Hamas’ information office accused the army of endangering those seeking protection and medical workers in the clinic by bombing them. The military, in turn, accused Hamas of severely damaging the hospital by, among other things, throwing explosive devices during fighting. None of this information could initially be verified. According to Hagari, the fighting continued elsewhere in the Gaza Strip. Soldiers blew up a 2.5 kilometer long tunnel route there during the night, the army spokesman said.
The Israeli army had already confirmed the death of a high-ranking leader of the armed wing of the radical Islamic Hamas on Tuesday. Marwan Issa, the “number two” of the Essedin al-Kassam Brigades, was killed in an Israeli Air Force attack in the Gaza Strip two weeks ago, army spokesman Hagari said. The attack was carried out on the basis of information from the Israeli domestic secret service Shin Bet.