Israeli Political Leadership Approves More Targeted Killings in Gaza After Recent Pause

After several days of minimal military activity in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have increased airstrikes and targeted killings over the past three days. According to security officials familiar with the matter, this shift follows the political leadership's decision to approve more assassination requests submitted by the military.

Reports indicate that during the previous week and a half, the Israeli army submitted multiple requests to carry out targeted killings in Gaza, which were initially rejected by the political echelon. However, in the last three days, the political leadership reversed course and authorized more such operations, contributing to the recent surge in attacks.

On the day of the report, the Israeli Air Force struck a Hamas military wing platoon commander in Khan Yunis, who was allegedly planning attacks against Israeli forces. Another strike occurred in Gaza City, with its results still under assessment. This escalation follows a prolonged period of relative calm with few or no strikes in Gaza.

The Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment on the report. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's and Defense Minister's offices denied claims that the political leadership had blocked targeted killings, stating, "Contrary to the claim that the political echelon prevented assassinations in Gaza last week, the opposite is true, the political echelon approved every targeted killing presented by the IDF." It remains to be seen whether the recent increase in operations will continue.