Hamas says top Gaza commander, four other military leaders killed

THE military wing of Hamas said on Sunday that the commander of its northern brigade and four other senior leaders had been killed during Israel's offensive against the Islamist movement.

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In a statement, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said Ahmed al-Ghandour was a member of its military council, and named three of the others, among them Ayman Siyyam, head of its rocket division, while its West Bank branch confirmed another leader's death.

"We pledge to Allah we will continue their path and that their blood will be a light for the mujahedeen and a fire for the occupiers," the statement said, without saying when they were killed. The Israeli army confirmed it had killed "five senior commanders".