An Israel Defense Forces carried out an airstrike on a Gaza hospital on Sunday night, killing the new "Hamas Prime Minister". The militant group has confirmed his death.
IDF claimed that Hamas has been exploiting civilian infrastructure like hospitals to hide terrorists. The Gaza health ministry run by Hamas said the strike was targeted at the surgery department of the hospital.
Who was Ismail Barhoum?
Identified as Ismail Barhoum, the top Hamas official had replaced Issam Da’alis as the "prime minister" of the militant group in Gaza. Barhoum, who was injured in an earlier airstrike, was being treated at the Nasser Hospital in Gaza's Khan Younis. He was earlier targeted when he was at his home in Khan Younis on March 18 morning.
Israeli strike hit the second floor of Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza.
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 23, 2025
The strike targeted Hamas Political Bureau member Ismail Barhoum.
He was receiving treatment for critical injuries sustained in last week’s attack in the ICU.
The surgery department was… pic.twitter.com/WCEHBwmQcd
Barhoum was a member of the Hamas political bureau and was looking after the financing of the militant group's activities. The European Union had imposed sanctions on Barhoum in 2024.
Two other Hamas military commanders were also killed recently. They were identified as Gaza City Brigade deputy commander Ahmad Salman ‘Awj Shimali and Shejaiya Battalion commander Jamil Omar Jamil Wadiya in the same brigade.
#BREAKING Israel bombs emergency ward of Nasser Hospital. This is where the American delegation of physicians are working in Gaza.
— Samira Mohyeddin سمیرا (@SMohyeddin) March 23, 2025
Dr. Mark Perlmutter
Dr. Feroze Sidhwa
Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan
All three are vocal about Israel’s crimes in Gaza. They are clearly being targeted. pic.twitter.com/lpfMOi4nw1
Barhoum's death comes after at least four Hamas political bureau members were killed in the Israel airstrikes since last week. Out of the total 20 members of the bureau, 11 have been killed since October 7, 2023. Around seven of the remaining political bureau members are believed to be abroad.
Salah al-Bardawil, who was a spokesperson for the Palestinian Islamist Organisation and a member of the Hamas political bureau, was killed in an airstrike on Sunday morning. His wife also died in the attack.
Mahmoud Abu Wafa, the head of Hamas internal security, was also slain in an airstrike. Hamas military intelligence chief Osama Tabash was another person to be killed in IDF strikes.
Hamas currently holds at least 59 male hostages, of who 35 are believed to be dead. The militant group has dismissed demands put forth by the US and Israel, following which the latter decided to carry out airstrikes and block humanitarian aid to Gaza.
