Israeli Retaliatory Airstrikes Kill Multiple High-Ranking Hamas Officials

Three Hamas officials have been killed in retaliatory strikes by Israel, according to information from the Israeli Defense Forces and reporters on the ground.

The head of Hamas' National Relations Office, Zakaria Abu Muammar, is said to have been killed in Khan Yunis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip, according to reporter Younis Tirawi. The Israeli Defense Forces have also confirmed they've killed Jawad Abu Shamala, the economy minister for Hamas.

"As part of his role, he managed the finances of the organization and earmarked the funds for financing and directing terrorism inside and outside the Gaza Strip," reads an IDF post to X, formerly Twitter.

Tirawi also reported that a Hamas political bureau official, Zakaria Abo Mamer, "was killed in the last Israeli bombing on Khan Yunis."

Israel declared war on Hamas on Sunday, with support from world leaders including President Joe Biden, who said that Israel has a right to defend itself against terrorism. The declaration came after a brutal surprise attack by Hamas on Saturday that killed hundreds of people.

“We will continue to attack in this way, with this force, continuously, on all gathering (places) and routes” used by Hamas, said Israeli Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, according to the Associated Press.

Shocking videos of Hamas brutality have also flooded social media since the unprecedented attack on Israel. Among them was a disturbing video of the naked body of a young Israeli woman being paraded through the streets.

The Messenger is answering key questions about the conflict here.