A senior Hamas commander has been confirmed dead following an Israeli air strike on Gaza City, escalating tensions in a region already reeling from economic devastation. The militant group announced the loss this morning, naming the commander as Muhammad Abu Nour, a key figure in its military wing. Residents describe a deafening blast that shattered windows and sent smoke billowing across the skyline.
The strike targeted a building in the densely populated al-Shati refugee camp, where Abu Nour was reportedly meeting with other operatives. Casualty figures remain unclear, but medics say at least a dozen people have been injured, including women and children from neighbouring homes. This comes as families across Gaza grapple with soaring food prices and unemployment rates that have climbed above 50 per cent under a tightened blockade.
For many, daily life is a struggle for survival, with basic necessities like bread and clean water growing ever more scarce. The Israeli military has yet to comment officially, but a security source indicated the operation was based on “precise intelligence”. This latest incident follows a series of tit-for-tat attacks over the past week, raising fears of a broader conflict that could further cripple the local economy.
Trade unions in Gaza have called for an immediate ceasefire, warning that continued violence will deepen the humanitarian crisis. The price of flour has already jumped by 15 per cent since the start of the month, a bitter irony for a territory where the average wage barely covers a week’s shopping. As international mediators scramble to de-escalate, working-class families here know they will bear the heaviest cost.
The death of a commander may be a strategic loss for Hamas, but for the people of Gaza, it is yet another reminder of a cycle of violence that leaves them with nothing but higher prices and fewer options.
