The Israeli military announced on Monday that it carried out an airstrike that killed Abdul Fattah Al-Zeriei, the deputy economy minister for Gaza, on Sunday.
The incident occurred in Deir al-Balah, located in central Gaza. Palestinian media reported that Al-Zeriei’s mother was also killed in the attack.
Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that the strike targeted Al-Zeriei due to his role as an “operative in the Manufacturing Department of Hamas’ Military Wing” and his position as the economy minister for Hamas in Gaza.
According to the IDF, Al-Zeriei was instrumental in “directing Hamas’s efforts to seize control of humanitarian aid entering Gaza”. The statement also accused him of overseeing the allocation of fuel, gas, and financial resources for “terror activities”.
This development follows recent accusations from Iran and Hamas that Israel was responsible for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political bureau, in Tehran. While Israel has not officially confirmed or denied these allegations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted at potential Israeli involvement. It also risks further retaliation from Iran or Hezbollah.
Following Haniyeh assassination, the killing of 12 children by Hezbollah in the Golan Heights, and Israel’s attack on top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr and civilians in Beirut, tensions in the region have continued to rise. G7 foreign ministers called for efforts to avoid inflaming tensions in the Middle East between Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah.
