Senior Hamas figure killed in Israeli air strike in Gaza

Impact of Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza

CAIRO, Jan 15 (Reuters) - A senior figure in the armed wing of Hamas was among seven people killed on Thursday in a pair of Israeli airstrikes in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, a Hamas source said.

Casualties and Damage

The Israeli military and Hamas did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the incident. The Hamas source said one of the dead was Mohammed Al-Holy, a local commander in the group's armed wing in Deir al-Balah.

Ceasefire Violations

Health officials said the six other dead included a 16-year-old.

International Reactions

More than 400 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been reported killed since a fragile ceasefire took effect in October.

Israel has razed buildings and ordered residents out of more than half of Gaza where its troops remain. Nearly all of the territory's more than 2 million people now live in makeshift homes or damaged buildings in a sliver of territory where Israeli troops have withdrawn and Hamas has reasserted control.

The United Nations children agency said on Tuesday that over 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire, including victims of drone and quadcopter attacks.

Israel and Hamas have traded blame for violations of the ceasefire and remain far apart from each other on key issues, despite the United States announcing the second phase of the ceasefire on Wednesday.

Israel launched its operations in Gaza in the wake of an attack by Hamas-led fighters on October 2023 which killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's assault has killed 71,000 people, according to health authorities in the strip, and left much of Gaza in ruins.

(Reporting by Nidal Al-MughrabiWriting by Pesha MagidEditing by Peter Graff)