Israeli strikes kills two Hamas cell commanders

The Israeli Air Force on Monday killed two Hamas cell commanders in separate strikes in the Gaza Strip.

According to the military, Saleh Ramadan Muhammad Khalifa, identified as a cell leader in Hamas’ Nuseirat Battalion, was killed in a strike in central Gaza.

Muhammad Musa Diab al-Habil, described as a cell commander in Hamas’s Western Jabalia Battalion, was killed in northern Gaza.

“The terrorists had been planning to execute terrorist attacks against IDF troops, posed an imminent threat to them, and were eliminated in precise strikes,” the Israel Defense Forces said.

“Prior to the strikes, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance,” the IDF added. “IDF troops under the Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat.”

The strikes came on the same day that mediators were due to resume talks in Cairo aimed at shoring up a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan for Gaza, with sources telling Reuters that Hamas and other Palestinian factions have agreed to all but one of the roadmap’s 15 points, with the remaining dispute centered on Hamas disarmament. Hamas says it will not give up its weapons without guarantees of a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a political process leading toward Palestinian statehood.

Jerusalem says that any long-term deal must see Hamas disarmed, removed from power in Gaza and excluded from governing the territory. Israeli forces continue to hold more than half of the enclave as Israel deepens its security buffer zone.