Skip to main content

Israel kills sixth Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza as rockets target Jerusalem

Since the beginning of the fighting on Tuesday morning, 973 rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel and 761 of them crossed the Gaza border.
BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images

A sixth senior Islamic Jihad operative who was on Israel's most-wanted list for 26 years has been killed by the Israeli army in Gaza, as Palestinian death toll jumps over 30 and rockets target Jerusalem.

A spokesperson for the Islamic Jihad confirmed to Agence France-Presse that senior commander Iyad al-Hassani was killed Friday in an Israeli airstrike. Hassani was a top official in the Islamic Jihad’s military council, and had apparently replaced head of Islamic Jihad in northern Gaza Khalil Bahtini, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Tuesday morning.

Violence has resumed in the region after 13 hours of quiet Thursday night and as talks for a cease-fire are frozen. Israel renewed its strikes on Gaza just before noon local time on Friday, after the Islamic Jihad launched salvos of rockets toward southern Israeli communities and the Jerusalem area.

According to the Israeli army, as of 5 p.m. Friday, since the beginning of the fighting on Tuesday morning, 973 rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel and 761 of them crossed the Gaza border. Israel carried out 254 airstrikes in the Gaza Strip during that period. One Israeli has been killed and 45 have been injured since Tuesday. 

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported on Friday that 33 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed and another 111 injured since hostilities began on Tuesday. 

At least two rockets were fired on Friday toward Jerusalem. Islamic Jihad released a statement saying the rocket fire on Jerusalem was meant as “an important message" to Israel. 

"What happens in Gaza is not separate from what happens in Jerusalem," the group said in the statement. 

Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanoua echoed this sentiment in a statement on Friday, saying "our strikes are firm and protracted throughout all of the entity to make (Israel) pay for its crimes." Anti-Israel groups regularly refer to the country as "the entity."

Meanwhile, violence occurred in the West Bank on Friday amid the Gaza fighting. The Palestinian Authority's WAFA news agency reported clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in Beit Ummar north of Hebron and Azzun near the Israeli border. 

Since the violence broke out, Cairo had been working to negotiate a cease-fire. Qatari and UN representatives have also been involved. Despite reports on Thursday that a cease-fire agreement was about to be reached, progress has halted. According to KAN, when the Islamic Jihad resumed its rocket fire Friday morning, Israel informed Egypt it was suspending negotiations.

Know more: Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh spoke on the phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Friday. The Iranian diplomat praised Gaza's "resistance" during the call, according to the Hamas-affiliated Safa news agency. 

Join hundreds of Middle East professionals with Al-Monitor PRO.

Business and policy professionals use PRO to monitor the regional economy and improve their reports, memos and presentations. Try it for free and cancel anytime.

Already a Member? Sign in

Free

The Middle East's Best Newsletters

Join over 50,000 readers who access our journalists dedicated newsletters, covering the top political, security, business and tech issues across the region each week.
Delivered straight to your inbox.

Free

What's included:
Our Expertise

Free newsletters available:

  • The Takeaway & Week in Review
  • Middle East Minute (AM)
  • Daily Briefing (PM)
  • Business & Tech Briefing
  • Security Briefing
  • Gulf Briefing
  • Israel Briefing
  • Palestine Briefing
  • Turkey Briefing
  • Iraq Briefing
Expert

Premium Membership

Join the Middle East's most notable experts for premium memos, trend reports, live video Q&A, and intimate in-person events, each detailing exclusive insights on business and geopolitical trends shaping the region.

$25.00 / month
billed annually

Become Member Start with 1-week free trial
What's included:
Our Expertise AI-driven

Memos - premium analytical writing: actionable insights on markets and geopolitics.

Live Video Q&A - Hear from our top journalists and regional experts.

Special Events - Intimate in-person events with business & political VIPs.

Trend Reports - Deep dive analysis on market updates.

All premium Industry Newsletters - Monitor the Middle East's most important industries. Prioritize your target industries for weekly review:

  • Capital Markets & Private Equity
  • Venture Capital & Startups
  • Green Energy
  • Supply Chain
  • Sustainable Development
  • Leading Edge Technology
  • Oil & Gas
  • Real Estate & Construction
  • Banking

We also offer team plans. Please send an email to pro.support@al-monitor.com and we'll onboard your team.

Already a Member? Sign in

Israel Briefing Israel Briefing

Israel Briefing

Top Israel stories in your inbox each week

Trend Reports

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (4th R) attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (3rd L) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on February 22, 2019. (Photo by HOW HWEE YOUNG / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read HOW HWEE YOUNG/AFP via Getty Images)
Premium

From roads to routers: The future of China-Middle East connectivity

A general view shows the solar plant in Uyayna, north of Riyadh, on March 29, 2018. - On March 27, Saudi announced a deal with Japan's SoftBank to build the world's biggest solar plant. (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP) (Photo credit should read FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)
Premium

Regulations on Middle East renewable energy industry starting to take shape

Start your PRO membership today.

Join the Middle East's top business and policy professionals to access exclusive PRO insights today.

Join Al-Monitor PRO Start with 1-week free trial