Israeli airstrikes kill Al-Quds Brigades's spokesperson Abu Hamza and other key figures UPDATED

On March 18, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking Hamas leaders and members of the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

Abu Hamza, the military spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, was killed in an airstrike that targeted him and his family. The source also confirmed the death of Hassan al-Na'im Abu Ali, leader of the Al-Quds Brigades, who was killed in an Israeli attack on Khan Yunis, Al-Hadath TV reports.

In addition to these fatalities, Palestinian sources revealed that prominent Hamas leaders were also among those killed in the airstrikes. Among the dead were Abu Obeida al-Jamasi, a member of Hamas's political bureau and head of its emergency committee. Brigadier General Bahjat Hassan Abu Sultan, head of internal operations in Gaza, and Issam al-Daalis, another member of Hamas's political bureau, also lost their lives in the attacks. Mahmoud Abu Watfa, undersecretary of the Hamas Interior Ministry, was confirmed dead as well.

The government media office in Gaza later released a statement mourning the deaths of several key government leaders, who were killed when Israeli aircraft directly targeted their locations. The victims included Essam Al-Dalis, head of government follow-up; Ahmed Al-Hatta, undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice; Major General Mahmoud Abu Watfa, undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior; and Major General Bahjat Abu Sultan, director of the Internal Security Service. The office also confirmed that the leaders were killed alongside their families.

The Gaza government expressed deep sorrow for the loss, while vowing to continue their mission of serving the Palestinian people. The statement emphasized that the deaths of these leaders would not deter their commitment to confronting Israeli aggression.

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The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has condemned Israel’s renewed military operations in Gaza, calling it "a continuation of carrying out further massacres" as part of what the group described as Israel’s “war of extermination.”

In a statement issued in the early morning hours of March 18, the PIJ also accused Israel of sabotaging all efforts to reach a cease-fire, blaming the international community for failing to intervene, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

“This new aggression will not give the enemy superiority over the resistance, either on the ground or in negotiations," the statement declared. “Nor will it pull Netanyahu and his bloodthirsty Nazi government out of the crises from which they are fleeing."

The PIJ emphasized that the Israeli military, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had failed to achieve their goals during 15 months of conflict marked by extensive bloodshed.

The group further stressed that they would continue to resist, citing the “resilience of our oppressed people and the courage of our mujahideen in the fields of jihad and resistance.”

Israel resumed military operations in Gaza on March 15, 2025, following the collapse of a cease-fire agreement that had been in place since January 2025. The cease-fire had been broken when Hamas refused to release additional hostages, which led to Israel launching airstrikes on March 15 targeting Hamas infrastructure and leadership.

The mutual accusations between Israel and Hamas over violating the ceasefire terms further escalated the conflict. Israel accuses Hamas of not fully adhering to the ceasefire’s provisions, particularly in terms of the hostages’ release. Israel claims that Hamas is deliberately delaying the process of freeing the remaining hostages, which is seen as a breach of the agreement.

On the other hand, Hamas accuses Israel of failing to fulfil its obligations, including not releasing the agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners and continuing military operations that harm civilians. The accusations of non-compliance and the failure to meet the terms of the ceasefire have made it difficult to sustain peace efforts, and both sides are blaming each other for the breakdown in negotiations.

By Khagan Isayev