A woman reacts over the body of a person killed during overnight Israeli army airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, at the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP

Hamas says Head of its Government in Gaza killed in Israeli strike

by · The Hindu

Hamas on Tuesday (March 18, 2025) named the head of its government in the Gaza Strip, Essam al-Dalis, among a list of officials it said were killed in a wave of Israeli strikes on the Palestinian territory.

"These leaders, along with their families, were martyred after being directly targeted by the Zionist occupation forces' aircraft," said the Hamas statement, which also named interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa and Bahjat Abu Sultan, director-general of the internal security service, among those killed.

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The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza said at least four senior officials, including two top police officers, in the Hamas administration have been killed in Israeli strikes.

They include Issam al-Daalis, head of the government administrative committee, Maj. Gen. Mohamed Abu Watfa, undersecretary of the Interior Ministry, Maj. Gen. Bahgat Abu Sultan, director of the domestic security agency and Ahmed al-Hetta, undersecretary of the Justice Ministry.

Published - March 18, 2025 04:02 pm IST