Israel says killed two Hamas members in Gaza strikes

By Xinhua Published: Oct 09, 2026 01:43 PM

Palestinians gather around a burned vehicle following an Israeli drone strike targeting a civilian vehicle, in the Tel al-Hawa area west of Gaza City, Oct. 8, 2026. Two Palestinians were killed and several others injured Thursday in an Israeli strike targeting a vehicle west of Gaza City, according to medical and local sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

The Israeli military said Thursday it had killed two members of Hamas' armed wing in separate airstrikes in the Gaza Strip earlier this week, accusing them of planning attacks.

The military said one of the dead, identified as Ibrahim Alam, was a Hamas commander who participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Alam was killed Monday in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, the military said.

The other, identified as Mu'tasem Muhammad Suleiman Salah, was killed in a separate strike on Tuesday, it added.

Also on Thursday, sources in Gaza said two Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an Israeli strike targeting a vehicle west of Gaza City.

Local sources said an Israeli drone fired a missile at a civilian vehicle near the Jordanian Hospital in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood. Medical sources told Xinhua that two people were killed and several others sustained injuries of varying severity.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

The strikes came despite a ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025.

According to a daily report issued by Gaza's health authorities, the death toll since the ceasefire took effect had reached 1,471. The overall death toll since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 7, 2023 has reached 74,254, the authorities said.

Palestinians gather around a burned vehicle following an Israeli drone strike targeting a civilian vehicle, in the Tel al-Hawa area west of Gaza City, Oct. 8, 2026. Two Palestinians were killed and several others injured Thursday in an Israeli strike targeting a vehicle west of Gaza City, according to medical and local sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)