U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that his administration is examining whether Israel violated the Gaza ceasefire agreement by conducting an airstrike on Saturday (13 December) that killed Hamas leader Raad Saad.
In a statement, Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed the death of its senior commander Raad Saad. He was one of the founders of Hamas' armed wing, and head of Hamas' production headquarters, responsible for the in-house production of rocket launchers, missiles, and anti-tank weapons.
The Al-Qassam Brigades strongly condemned Israel's continued killings of its commander and attacks on the people of Gaza in the statement, describing Israel's actions as "crossing all red lines."
The statement called on the United States and relevant mediators to bear responsibility, emphasising that the Al-Qassam Brigades reserves the right to respond to aggression and defend itself by all available means. It also announced the appointment of a new commander to succeed Raad Saad.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the operation, calling it a precision strike and describing Saad as a crucial figure in Hamas's efforts to rebuild its military capabilities.
Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli military described Saad as one of the planners of the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October, 2023, and "one of the last remaining senior militants" in Gaza.
It added that Saad was directly responsible for "violations" of the ceasefire agreement by Hamas in recent months, accusing him of overseeing the continued production of weapons during the ceasefire.
Netanyahu also noted that Israel is nearing the completion of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal and is currently working to recover the remains of the last Israeli hostage.
President Trump emphasised the strong relationship between his administration and Israel.
"Israel and I have gotten along very well. My relationship with Bibi Netanyahu has been obviously very good," Trump said on Monday.
"I have a very good relationship with Israel. We actually have a very good relationship with just about everybody in the Middle East," Trump added.
The U.S. continues to monitor the situation, while Israel maintains its stance on the necessity of targeting Hamas figures deemed to be a threat to national security.
A rare Israeli security statement warning of an alleged Iranian-linked plot targeting global sites, including a key Azerbaijani pipeline, has drawn...
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf has ruled out a new round of negotiations with the U.S. in Islamabad on Tuesday “und...
Britain’s government outlined plans on Tuesday (21 April) to reduce household energy bills by encouraging wind ...
Jars of baby food deliberately tampered with rat poison and discovered in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia were part of an attempted extort...
The architect of the modern K-pop boom, Bang Si-hyuk, is facing arrest by South Korean police over claims he illegall...
A rare Israeli security statement warning of an alleged Iranian-linked plot targeting global sites, including a key Azerbaijani pipeline, has drawn renewed attention to regional security dynamics.
Britain’s government outlined plans on Tuesday (21 April) to reduce household energy bills by encouraging wind and solar producers to adopt long-term fixed contracts.
The architect of the modern K-pop boom, Bang Si-hyuk, is facing arrest by South Korean police over claims he illegally gained millions in an investor fraud scheme.
China's domestic automakers have a message for the boardrooms of premium German brands such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW: We are coming for your customers, and we are armed with superior technology at a fraction of the cost.
Iran accuses the United States of breaching a ceasefire after a commercial ship was seized in the Gulf of Oman, vowing retaliation, as Israel warns south Lebanon residents to avoid restricted areas.
Progessive Bulgaria, led by pro-Russian Eurosceptic Rumen Radev is on track to form Bulgaria’s next government, after official results showed a runaway victory for the coalition in the Balkan nation's parliamentary elections on Monday (20 April).
Pakistan is confident it can bring Iran to talks with the United States, a senior official said, citing “positive signals” from Tehran, as JD Vance is reportedly set to visit Islamabad on Tuesday for peace talks, according to Axios.
A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake has struck off Japan’s north-eastern coast, triggering urgent tsunami warnings with waves of up to 3 metres expected, prompting residents to seek immediate safety.
Blue Origin, the U.S. space company of billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, successfully reused and recovered a booster for its New Glenn rocket launched from Florida on Sunday (19 April), in the latest chapter of its intensifying rivalry with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Britain’s government outlined plans on Tuesday (21 April) to reduce household energy bills by encouraging wind and solar producers to adopt long-term fixed contracts.
The escalating conflict involving Iran, the U.S. and Israel is fuelling what could become the most severe energy crisis the world has ever faced, according to the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
A Canadian woman has been shot dead and 13 others injured in a shooting at the Teotihuacan pyramids on Monday, one of Mexico’s most visited tourist attractions.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of April, covering the latest developments you need to know
Japan on Tuesday unveiled its biggest overhaul of defence export rules in decades, scrapping restrictions on overseas arms sales and opening the way for exports of warships, missiles and other weapons.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment