The Israel Defense Force (IDF) said their air strike had killed a senior leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The IDF, in a statement, said the targeted air strike killed Osama Mazini, the head of the Shura Council of Hamas. He was a key hostage negotiator for the group.
Hamas has not commented on this regard so far.
Hamas has about 200-250 Israeli captives in Gaza, the group’s armed-wing spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military continued to mass tanks and military vehicles on Gaza’s border in preparation for a ground offensive on Tuesday, aiming to target Hamas and its infrastructure on the ground in the strip in response to last week’s deadly attacks.
Israel is to escalate an offensive against Hamas militants which has set off a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and raised fears of a broader conflict with Iran.
Israel has placed Gaza, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, under a total blockade and pounded it with unprecedented air strikes after Hamas fighters stormed Israeli towns eight days ago, killing 1,300 people in the worst attack on civilians in the country’s history.
Gaza authorities say at least 2,800 people have been killed there, around a quarter of them children.
International diplomacy has been focused on the humanitarian toll and preventing a spillover of the conflict – particularly into Lebanon where Iran-backed Hezbollah militants have been exchanging fire with Israel across the border for days.
An Israeli blockade has prevented fuel, food, and water from entering Gaza, although Netanyahu had agreed with Biden to resume the water supply to parts of southern Gaza, a minister said on Sunday.
