Shejaiya Strike Hits Hamas Leader’s Family as Israel Expands Gaza Offensive

An Israeli artillery strike in Gaza’s Shejaiya neighborhood claimed the lives of Ayman and Muad al-Hayya, nephews of senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya. The two were reportedly killed while returning home after collecting firewood, marking another loss for the al-Hayya family. Khalil, a key Hamas negotiator based in Qatar, has been a prominent figure in ceasefire talks, having left Gaza before the October 7, 2023, attacks. The brothers were sons of Abd al-Salam al-Hayya, Khalil’s brother, who also serves as a negotiator for the group.

The al-Hayya family has faced repeated losses in the conflict due to their terrorism ties. Another brother, Ashraf, was killed in a 2003 Israeli airstrike in the same neighbourhood, and a fourth sibling has been injured multiple times in similar attacks. The strike occurred amid heightened Israeli military operations in northern Gaza, where efforts to seize Gaza City have intensified, prompting concerns about civilian displacement and casualties.

On the same day, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), in coordination with the UAE, Jordan, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, and Italy, conducted humanitarian airdrops, delivering over 106 food aid packages to Gaza residents. This marked the first participation of Greece and Italy in such operations since they began. The IDF emphasized these efforts as part of a broader initiative to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, following directives from Israel’s political leadership.

The deaths of Ayman and Muad highlight the ongoing toll of the IDF's war on Hamas, with Palestinian media condemning the strikes as part of a supposed campaign targeting civilians, part of Hamas's ongoing propaganda against Israel. Meanwhile, Israel’s intensified operations aim to dismantle Hamas’s infrastructure, though the group’s shift to guerrilla tactics poses challenges for long-term control.