Israeli army says Hamas leader and others killed in Jenin

The Israeli army announced on Friday that during a large-scale military operation in the northern West Bank, it killed the leader of the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas responsible for the city of Jenin.

"Wassem Hazem, the head of Hamas in Jenin, was eliminated during a counterterrorism operation in the northern Samaria area. He was identified alongside a terrorist cell in a vehicle in the area," the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet and the Israeli police posted on the platform X.

"Hazem was involved in carrying out and directing shooting and bombing attacks, and continuously advanced terrorist activities in the Judea and Samaria area."

The vehicle also contained two other Hamas members, the statement said. The forces killed them during an attack with an aircraft as they tried to flee the vehicle. Weapons and explosives were reportedly found in the car.

Eyewitnesses reported that in a village in the south of Jenin, the Israeli army attacked a car with three occupants. Two attempted to escape. A drone allegedly fired a missile at both. All three reportedly died in the attack.