Tel Aviv [Israel], June 29 (HBTV): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced late Saturday night that it had eliminated Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa, one of the founders of Hamas’ military wing and a key planner behind the October 7, 2023 attacks.

In a post on X, the IDF stated: ‘ELIMINATED: eliminated Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa — one of the founders of Hamas’ military wing. Issa led Hamas’ force build-up, training, and planned the October 7 massacre. As Head of Combat Support, he advanced aerial & naval attacks against Israelis. The IDF & ISA will continue to locate and eliminate all terrorists involved in the October 7 massacre.’

Meanwhile, according to Al Jazeera, Israel’s military operations across the Gaza Strip continued, with at least 20 people, including nine children, reportedly killed in an airstrike on Gaza City's Tuffah neighbourhood.

On the diplomatic front, former US President Donald Trump expressed optimism regarding a possible ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said he believed a ceasefire could be reached within a week.

‘I think it's close. I just spoke to some of the people involved,’ Trump said, as per Al Jazeera. ‘We think within the next week we're going to get a ceasefire,’ he added, without disclosing the identities of those he had spoken to.

According to various reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may need to agree to a ceasefire as part of broader negotiations tied to normalisation deals with Arab nations—a goal promoted by the Trump administration. Hamas, for its part, demands a halt to Israel’s military operations in Gaza and a full withdrawal from territories occupied after the previous ceasefire collapsed in March.

Trump’s prediction comes amid growing international condemnation of Israel’s continued military campaign and rising civilian casualties. Al Jazeera also reported recent allegations that Israeli soldiers were ordered to shoot unarmed Palestinian civilians seeking humanitarian aid.

(ANI)