JERUSALEM (AP) — The Latest on confrontations between Israelis and Palestinians as Israel signals a widening military campaign:
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Palestinian militant group Hamas has confirmed that its Gaza City commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Wednesday.
Bassem Issa was the highest-ranking military figure in Hamas to be killed Israel since 2014. Wednesday’s statement was the first time Hamas acknowledged the death of militants in this round of fighting with Israel.
The armed wing of Hamas said Issa was killed “along with a few of his fellow brothers of leaders and holy fighters” during the fighting that has been going on for two days in Gaza.
Israel’s internal security agency said a series of airstrikes had killed Issa and several other senior Hamas militants, including the head of rocket development and cyber warfare, the head of rocket production, and the Hamas engineering chief.
Issa and several other commanders responsible for the different districts of the Gaza Strip formed Hamas’ military council, the highest body deciding on the group’s militant operations. The military council is headed by Mohammed Deif.
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