Two senior Hamas security officials, including Colonel Wael Musa al-Ladawi, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah. Video from the scene showed a charred car and thick smoke; the bodies were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Hamas condemned the strikes as part of an effort to dismantle Gaza’s institutions. Despite a ceasefire declared on October 10, near-daily attacks have continued and diplomatic efforts have stalled.
Israeli Airstrike in Deir al-Balah Kills Two Senior Hamas Security Officials
A Palestinian boy carrying a quilt walks past the destroyed buildings at the Al-Jalaa street following an Israeli strike in Gaza City on July 24, 2026 [File: AFP]
An Israeli airstrike on Sunday struck a vehicle in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, killing two Hamas security officials, the interior ministry said. Among the dead was Colonel Wael Musa al-Ladawi, described by the ministry as the head of the group's internal security service in central Gaza. The other fatality was identified as Ramez Tawfiq Abu Zureiq.
Footage posted by the Shehab News Agency showed a charred vehicle in the middle of the road, with thick smoke rising from the scene. According to local reports, the bodies were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
On Saturday, Israeli forces also struck and killed the head of the Hamas police force in northern Gaza; Israel said that individual had ties to Hamas’s military wing. Hamas condemned the operations, saying the strikes are part of a wider effort to destabilize Gaza by dismantling civil institutions and undermining governance.
Hamas Statement: The group characterized the killings as deliberate attempts to sow chaos and make civilian administration of Gaza impossible.
Since a ceasefire was declared on October 10, clashes and air operations have nonetheless continued on a near-daily basis, according to multiple reports, raising questions about the durability of the truce and complicating diplomatic efforts to negotiate a lasting halt to hostilities.
Diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the violence have so far made limited headway. A body referred to in some reports as the Board of Peace—backed by international actors—has not produced significant breakthroughs to date.
Separately, Hamas announced the election of Khalil al-Hayya as its new leader earlier this week. The appointment follows nearly two years since the group reported that its previous leader, Yahya Sinwar, had been killed in Gaza.
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