Hamas' military branch stated that the commander of its northern brigade, Ahmed Al-Ghandour, and three other top commanders were killed during Israel's onslaught against the Islamist movement, news agency AFP reported. The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades stated in a statement that Ghandour was a member of its military council and that three other officials had killed, including Ayman Siyyam, who Israeli media reported was the chief of the Brigades' rocket-firing sections.
Without specifying when they were slain, the official statement issued by Hamas stated: "We pledge to Allah we will continue their path and that their blood will be a light for the mujahedeen and a fire for the occupiers."
Ghandour, also known as Abu Anas, was classified as a "specially designated global terrorist" by the US in 2017, putting him on an economic sanctions blacklist.
He was characterised by the State Department as a former member of Hamas' Shura council and political bureau.
Ghandour "has been involved in many terrorist operations," according to the report, including a 2006 attack on an Israeli military outpost at the Kerem Shalom border crossing that killed two Israeli soldiers and injured four more.
That raid culminated in the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was held captive by Hamas for five years until being released in return for the release of 1,027 Palestinian detainees in 2011.
The declaration occurred on the third day of a four-day cease-fire in Gaza, which began on October 7 when Hamas terrorists poured into southern Israel, murdering 1,200 people and kidnapping around 240 more, according to Israeli police.
According to Gaza's Hamas-led government, Israel reacted with a bombardment and ground assault against Hamas, killing roughly 15,000 Palestinians, largely civilians.
So far, under the pause agreement, Hamas has returned 26 Israeli captives in two groups, in exchange for 78 Palestinian inmates released from Israeli imprisonment.