Hamas chief of staff killed in Rafah by Israeli airstrike

JERUSALEM:Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Monday that an Israeli aircraft killed Yassin Rabia, the Hamas Chief of Staff in the West Bank, last week in the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

The strike was carried out in the area of Tal as Sultan in northwest Rafah, based on precise intelligence, said an IDF statement, noting that Rabia "managed the entirety" of Hamas' activity in the West Bank, transferred funds to targets and planned Hamas attacks throughout the West Bank, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rabia had carried out "numerous murderous attacks," including those in 2001 and 2002, in which Israeli soldiers were killed, it said.

According to the statement, Khaled Nagar, a senior official in Hamas' West Bank Headquarters, was also killed by Israeli airstrike. He allegedly directed attacks in the West Bank and transferred funds intended for Hamas' activities in the Gaza Strip.

"The IDF is aware of reports indicating that as a result of the strike and fire that was ignited several civilians in the area were harmed. The incident is under review," it added.