The Israeli Air Force claimed responsibility for the assassination of Abdul Fattah Al-Zeriei, the deputy minister for economy in Gaza, in an airstrike on Sunday that also killed his mother.
A military statement said that an airstrike “eliminated Abdul Fattah Al-Zeriei,” identifying him as an “operative in the Manufacturing Department of Hamas’ Military Wing, who also served as Hamas’ minister for economy in the Gaza Strip.”
The statement further claimed that Al-Zeriei was responsible for the distribution of fuel, gas, and funds for hostile purposes.
Palestinian administration targeted
On Sunday, the Gaza Media Office reported that Al-Zeriei was killed in an airstrike on a house in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, which also claimed the life of his mother.
Since the onset of its military campaign against Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has targeted and killed numerous officials in the Palestinian enclave’s administration.
Nearly 39,600 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 91,400 injured, according to local health authorities.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge before it was invaded on May 6.
🔴ELIMINATED: Abed Al-Zeriei—a Hamas terrorist who stopped humanitarian aid from reaching Gazan civilians.
Al-Zeriei was involved in the Manufacturing Department of Hamas’ Military Wing and Hamas’ Minister of Economy in Gaza.
He had a significant role in directing Hamas’… pic.twitter.com/MAQTGxgOa4
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 5, 2024
