Hamas Official Confirms Death of Senior Leader Marwan Issa

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan confirmed on Sunday night that Marwan Issa, former deputy to the late Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, was eliminated in an Israeli airstrike in March of last year. Speaking on Hezbollah-owned Al Manar TV, Hamdan acknowledged the significant losses suffered by Hamas and its allies, including several key figures from both Hamas and Hezbollah.

Hamdan referred to the deaths of these leaders as part of the "high price" Hamas has paid for its "great mission" and mentioned Issa’s involvement in planning major attacks, including the October 7 massacre in Israel. Issa was also linked to the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner swap, a notable event in Israeli-Palestinian relations.

In his interview, Hamdan framed Hamas’s ultimate success in the ongoing conflict as having forced Israel into negotiations. He claimed that Israel's willingness to engage in talks for the recovery of prisoners was a significant victory for Hamas, as it reflected Israel’s inability to resolve the issue through military force alone.