Israeli Military Claims To Kill Hamas Internal Security Chief In Southern Gaza

Illustration of Israeli fighter jets. (Wikimedia Commons/Yuval Shmueli/IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

JAKARTA - The Israeli Air Force (IAF) managed to kill the head of internal security of the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip in Wednesday night's airstrikes, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

The figure in question is Hussam Shahwan. The military says he is hiding among civilians in the humanitarian zone that is on the outskirts of Khan Younis, quoted from The Times of Israel January 2.

The military said a number of measures had been taken before the attack to reduce losses to civilians, including using precision ammunition, air observations, and other intelligence gatherings.

"The Hamas terror group systematically violates international law, while cruelly using the protection of civilian protection sites, civilian buildings, and civilian populations as human shields while carrying out terror activities," the IDF said.

It said, under Shahwan, the Hamas internal security forces tasked with producing intelligence against Israeli forces operating in Gaza had interrogated dissidents.

Meanwhile, Palestinian media described Shahwan as deputy chief of police Hamas.

The report, including on Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV station, said police chief Mahmoud Salah was also killed in the attack, in addition to nine other people, including women and children.

However, the Israeli military did not name Salah in his statement.