Israel has killed Issam Da’alis, the de facto Prime Minister of the besieged Gaza Strip.
On Monday at midnight, Israel carried out heavy airstrikes across Gaza, killing Issam Da’alis. He held the position of Head of the "Government Activities Monitoring Committee," which is considered equivalent to the Prime Minister’s role, according to The Times of Israel.
Along with Issam Da’alis, the attack also killed Ahmad Al-Khatta, Director-General of the Ministry of Justice in the Hamas government; Mahmoud Abu Watfa, Minister of Interior; and Bahjat Abu Sultan, Head of Internal Security Forces. As Minister of Interior, Mahmoud Abu Watfa oversaw Hamas' police and internal security matters.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that these senior Hamas government officials were specifically targeted. The IDF further confirmed that mid-level Hamas commanders were also among those targeted, aiming to significantly weaken Hamas' military and civilian government control over Gaza and eliminate any perceived threats to Israel.
Previously, in July 2024, Israel had assassinated Gaza’s former Prime Minister, Rahi Mushtaha, after which Issam Da’alis took over.
Israel has warned that it will continue such attacks unless Hamas releases Israeli hostages. On Monday night, Israeli forces carried out intense bombing on sleeping civilians, resulting in over 400 deaths, including many women and children (The Times of Israel).