Hamas says Israel's killing of senior commander undermines Gaza ceasefire

The assassination of senior Hamas commander Raed Saed by Israeli forces threatens the viability of the Gaza ceasefire, the militant group’s chief negotiator said on December 14, urging U.S. President Donald Trump to pressure Israel to comply with the truce.

Thousands of Hamas supporters attended Saed’s funeral in central Gaza City, carrying coffins draped in green Hamas flags. The demonstration marked one of the largest public displays of the group since a U.S.-backed ceasefire took effect in October, per Reuters.

In a televised address, exiled Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya confirmed Saed’s death, describing him as the second-in-command of the group’s armed wing and warning that Israel’s ongoing ceasefire violations, including the latest killings, jeopardise the agreement.

Hamas has not appointed a single overall chief since the death of Yehya Al-Sinwar in 2024, instead operating under a five-member leadership council, including Hayya. Israel says Saed was a key architect of the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel that sparked the war.

Since the ceasefire, Israeli forces have maintained control over Gaza’s depopulated eastern half, while Hamas holds the western half, home to nearly all of the enclave’s two million residents. Disputes remain over future arrangements: Israel demands Hamas disarm and be excluded from governance, while Hamas insists on retaining its weapons and seeks a full Israeli withdrawal.

By Khagan Isayev