Gaza: The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, mourned on Friday the death of the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade, Muhammad Abd al-Salam al-Yazuri, who was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike on Thursday evening.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the al-Qassam Brigades released a statement expressing their mourning for “Muhammad Abd al-Salam al-Yazuri (Abu Haitham), a member of the General Military Council of the al-Qassam Brigades and commander of the Khan Younis Brigade.” The statement emphasized that al-Yazuri “was martyred on Thursday evening as a result of a cowardly assassination.”

The statement further detailed al-Yazuri’s military career, highlighting his leadership roles within the Khan Younis Brigade, including positions as “commander of the Khan Younis Battalion and head of brigade intelligence.” It also underscored his significant involvement in planning Operation al-Aqsa Flood, noting that he led the “weapons and services battalion and served as deputy brigade commander before his jihadist career culminated in his command of the Khan Younis Brigade, succeeding senior commanders.”

Earlier on Friday, the Israeli army reported the killing of two Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip, including al-Yazuri. The army’s statement declared: “In a precise strike yesterday (Thursday), Israeli forces and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) eliminated Muhammad al-Yazuri in the Khan Younis area.” The army identified al-Yazuri as the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade in Hamas.

The strike, which took place Thursday evening, targeted a gathering in the al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, resulting in the deaths of three Palestinians, including al-Yazuri, and injuring five others. The Israeli army stated that al-Yazuri was tasked with directing Qassam Brigades fighters to “plan and execute attacks” against Israeli forces and civilians and was involved in efforts to “rebuild the brigade’s strength, which had been severely weakened during the war.”

Additionally, the army announced the deaths of Hudhaifa Muammar, a company commander, and Muhammad Bahjat Radi, both affiliated with Hamas’s military wing in the Khan Younis Brigade, during the same strike.

These events occur amidst ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement in effect since October 10, 2015, which have led to the deaths of 1,359 Palestinians and injuries to 4,571 others as of Thursday, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip.