Hamas says Israeli killing of commander threatens truce

Hamas’ chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said Israel’s targeted assassination of one of the group’s top commanders threatened the “sustainability of the ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip.

Hayya, who is also the exiled Hamas chief, confirmed in a televised speech that the group’s top commander, Raed Saed, had been killed in an Israeli attack the day before.

It was the highest-profile assassination of a senior Hamas figure since the US-backed Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement came into force in October.

“Israel’s continued violations of the ceasefire agreement… and the recent assassinations targeting Saed and others threaten the validity of the agreement,” he said in a speech.

“We call on the mediators, especially the US administration, which is the main guarantor, and President Donald Trump to work to oblige Israel to respect and abide by the ceasefire.”

Hamas sources described Saed as second in command of the group’s armed wing, after Izz Eldeen Al-Hadad.

Israel says Saed was a key architect of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war.

Hayya also spoke about the proposed United Nations-sanctioned International Stabilization Force (ISF).

“The role of international forces should be limited to maintaining the ceasefire and separating the two sides along Gaza borders, not playing any role within the strip or interfering in internal affairs,” he said.

The deployment of the force is a key part of the next phase of Trump’s peace plan.

In the first phase of the two-year war, a fragile ceasefire began on October 10, with Hamas releasing hostages and Israel releasing detained Palestinians.

U.S. Central Command will host a conference in Doha on Dec. 16 with partner countries to plan the International Stabilization Force for the region, U.S. officials told Reuters.