Jamila al-Shanti was killed in Israeli airstrikes. Al-Shanti was the first woman elected to Hamas’ political bureau. Reports mention that the strikes, that killed her, happened at dawn. As per “Times of Israel”, al-Shanti’s death takes the number of Hamas’ political bureau members killed in airstrikes since 7 October to four. She was the widow of Hamas’ co-founder Abdulaziz al-Rantisi. Rantisi was assassinated in an airstrike in 2004 during the Second Intifada. Al-Shanti was born in 1957 to refugee parents in Gaza Strip’s Jabaliya Refugee Camp. She secured a Ph.D. in English and was among a slew of women elected to Legislative Council in 2006 as part of Hamas’ electoral list viz. “Change and Reform”. 68-year al-Shanti was elected to Hamas’ political bureau in 2021.
“This confirms the movement’s respect for Palestinian women, their struggle, heroism, and sacrifices,” a senior Hamas official then told Palestinian media outlet Dunya al-Watan. Al-Shanti had then told Palestine’s Al-Aqsa TV channel that women in Hamas leadership would make ‘priceless contributions’ to the future of the movement. “As a women’s movement, we have not been officially in the Hamas political bureau before, but we have participated in the organisation and in decision-making during the preceding period,” … “This means that Palestinian women have an identity and power (that can be expressed directly) on the political scene, and their effective participation has made them worthy of being in any position,” al-Shanti added.

Zakariya Abu Moammar, Jawad Abu Shamala and Osama Mazini are some other top Hamas officials killed in airstrikes.
Abu Moammar was the head of Hamas’ internal relations. Abu Shamala was in charge of the group’s funds. Abu Moammar and Abu Shamala were both killed on 10 October.

Mazini, a senior member of the political bureau, was killed on 16 October. Mazini was a former head of Hamas’ Shura Council and Education minister in the government there.

Zionists have also killed a number of commanders.

Ayman Nofal, a senior commander in Gaza, was killed earlier this week. The news was confirmed by Izzeddin Al-Qassam Brigades on Tuesday. Nofal was a member of their higher military council. He was in charge of the Central Gaza area. General Jihad Muheisen, chief of Security Forces in Gaza Strip, was killed in an airstrike on Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, with his family.
Rafat Abu Hilal, head of the military wing of Popular Resistance Committees group – Nasir Salaheddin Brigades, was also killed.
Zionist forces have claimed to assassinate Head of General Intelligence of Khan Yunis on Monday, though they did not disclose any names. Bilal Al Kedra was killed in an airstrike on Sunday. Al Kedra was a commander of the elite force of Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades. Al Kedra was killed in Khan Yunis. He is alleged to have been responsible for October 7 attacks on Nirim – a Zionist settlement near to the border with Gaza strip. Zionist Air Forces, last week, claimed that it assassinated Murad Abu Murad – head
of Hamas’ Air Force – in an overnight airstrike. The strike targeted a location from which Hamas allegedly managed its aerial activity in Gaza Strip. They further alleged that Murad Abu Murad was “largely responsible” for directing the massacre on Saturday.