Hamas commander, family killed in Israeli airstrike on Beddawi refugee camp

BEIRUT — Hamas in Lebanon confirmed on Saturday the death of a senior commander from its military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, in an Israeli airstrike on his residence in the Beddawi refugee camp in northern Lebanon.

The airstrike targeted the home of Saeed Ali, a high-ranking commander in the al-Qassam Brigades.

The bombing resulted in the deaths of Ali, his wife, Shaimaa Khalil Azzam, and their two daughters, Zeinab and Fatima.

In a statement, Hamas said that “the Israeli airstrike targeted the residence of Saeed Ali, leading to his martyrdom along with his family.”

“Israel’s leadership will pay for their criminal decisions against our people,” the statement added.

Ali’s assassination comes shortly after the killing of Fatah Sharif, another Hamas leader in Lebanon, who was killed earlier this week in a similar Israeli airstrike on his home in the Burj al-Shemali camp in southern Lebanon.

Since the onset of the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in October 2023, Israel has carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Hamas officials and al-Qassam members in Lebanon. One of the most notable strikes was the assassination of Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’ deputy leader, on Jan. 2, 2024, in a drone strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed over 41,800 people, mostly women and children, following an attack by Hamas in early October.

According to Lebanese authorities, at least 2,011 people have been killed, over 9,500 injured, and 1.2 million displaced since the conflict expanded into Lebanon.

The international community has expressed concerns that Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon could further escalate the Gaza conflict. — Agencies