An Israeli airstrike killed Izz al-Din Al-Beik, the head of Hamas' armed wing in northern Gaza, in the early hours of Tuesday. Here is what happened.
Israel Kills Senior Hamas Commander in Gaza Airstrike
Medics say the strike hit an apartment building in Gaza City's Nasr neighborhood around dawn on September 29. A second person later died from wounds sustained in the attack.
Dawn Strike on Gaza City
Izz al-Din Al-Beik led Hamas' armed wing in the northern Gaza Strip, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials. Israel says he planned attacks and recruited militants.
Who Was Killed
Hamas issued a statement confirming Beik's killing and described him as one of those who led the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war.
Hamas Confirms His Death
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military targeted and killed Beik. Both sides agree on one fact: he is dead.
Netanyahu and Katz Respond
Later on Tuesday, another Israeli airstrike near a medical clinic in the Jabalia refugee camp killed one person. The military said it had targeted a militant in the area.
A Second Strike in Jabalia
Israel says its military has killed at least 20 Hamas figures in September, including senior commanders and people linked to the October 7 attacks. Strikes have intensified in recent weeks.
20 Hamas Figures Killed This Month
Israel says Hamas has been rearming and launching attacks in violation of the ceasefire agreed in October of last year, and has used that claim to justify the intensified strikes.
Israel: Hamas Is Rearming
Hamas has denied trying to carry out attacks or rebuild its arsenal, and accuses Israel of undermining the Gaza deal.
Hamas: Israel Is Sabotaging the Deal
The US-brokered ceasefire agreed last year calls for reconstruction, but little progress has been made as negotiators failed to agree on Hamas disarming and Israeli troop withdrawal.
The Fragile Ceasefire
At least 1,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, per Gaza health officials, while the Israeli military says four soldiers were killed. Over 73,000 have been killed since October 2023.
The Human Cost
The timing of the strike adds pressure to an already shaky truce. Each side has accused the other of bad faith, and Tuesday's killings could make the next round of negotiations even harder. The US has not yet commented.
What Happens Next
Read the full story: how the dawn strike in Gaza City killed a senior Hamas commander, why both sides blame each other for the ceasefire's collapse, and what happens next.