Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanou was killed in an Israeli airstrike on northern Gaza, the IDF confirmed Thursday evening.
Al-Qanou was one of Hamas's most prominent spokesmen in Gaza, and while he avoided media appearances during the months of fighting, he gave multiple interviews to Arab news channels after the ceasefire.
Al-Qanou was killed when his tent was targeted in Jabaliya, the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television reported. The same airstrike wounded several people, medical sources said.
Qatari-linked Al Araby/Al Jadeed confirmed the death via sources in Gaza.
Who was al-Qanou?
According to Al Araby/Al Jadeed, al-Qanou was born in Jabaliya, on April 24, 1981. He studied his undergraduate at the Islamic University of Gaza, followed by three masters degrees at universities in Gaza. The same report said al-Qanou had a doctorate in preaching and media from the University of Tripoli in Lebanon in 2019.
According to Al Araby/Al Jadeed, al-Qanou joined the Hamas during the Second Intifada in 2000. After graudating university, he was reportedly employed as media director at Hamas's media offices in the northern Gaza Strip, before becoming an official spokesman for the terror group in 2016.
Earlier this week, Israel killed Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas' political office, and Salah al-Bardaweel, another senior leader.
Both Bardaweel and Barhoum were members of the 20-member Hamas decision-making body - the political office - 11 of whom have been killed since the start of the war in late 2023, according to Hamas sources.
The IDF has yet to comment on the alleged elimination.
Increased IDF pressure in the Gaza Strip
Since fighting in Gaza was renewed at the beginning of last week, the IDF has killed 150 terrorists, including 10 top Hamas officials, The Jerusalem Post learned Tuesday.
In certain areas, the military has entered a full kilometer into Gaza, such as around the Nitzanim Corridor in central Gaza.
In addition to central Gaza, Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun, parts of Khan Yunis, Shaboura, and Tel Sultan, the IDF has been evacuating and moving into Jabaliya.
Yonah Jeremy Bob and Reuters contributed to this report.