Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his intention to lead the country to "total victory" in the war against the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, despite efforts to organize a ceasefire.
"We are on the way to total victory. On the way to this victory, we already eliminated number four in Hamas. Three, two and one are on the way," he said in a video message on Monday. "They are all dead men, we will reach them all," he added.
Number four in the Hamas hierarchy is likely top Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri, who was killed in an airstrike in the Lebanese capital Beirut in early January.
The targeted killing was attributed to Israel at the time, which has not yet commented on it. With Netanyahu's video message, Israel is likely to have admitted responsibility for the attack for the first time.
Al-Arouri was responsible within Hamas for maintaining close relations with the pro-Iranian Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. He was therefore also of central importance for the procurement of weapons for the Islamists in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu's comments came a few hours after Israeli media reported on the possible killing of the third most senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip, Marwan Issa.
According to the report, the Israeli Air Force bombed a building in the Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday night, where Issa was said to have been staying at the time. The Israeli forces are still investigating whether the top Hamas leader was actually among the victims of the airstrike.
Netanyahu was using the numbers one and two to designate the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Yehya al-Sinwar, and the head of the al-Qassam Brigades, Mohammed Deif.
The Gaza war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, when terrorists from Hamas and other extremist Palestinian organizations killed 1,200 in Israel on October 7.
According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, 31,112 people have died as a result of Israel's war in the Gaza Strip and a further 72,760 have been injured.
Earlier, Israel's army said its soldiers killed around 15 "terrorists" in the centre of Gaza during fighting the previous day.
During raids on homes in a neighbourhood in the southern city of Khan Younis, the military also arrested members of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement and seized weapons.
A rocket was fired at the Israeli soldiers during the operation. According to the army, there were no casualties. None of the information could initially be independently verified.
Israeli media reported that the military had officially reprimanded a commander for destroying a university in the city of Gaza in January without authorization, citing the army.
Hamas is said to have used the facility. However, the commander reportedly blew up the building without the required authorization from his superior. The incident is still being investigated.
Israel's overwhelming air and ground offensive is leading to growing international criticism, given the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Amid the destruction, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his call for a ceasefire at the start of Ramadan, a particularly holy time for Muslims.
"My strongest appeal today is to honour the spirit of Ramadan by silencing the guns – and removing all obstacles to ensure the delivery of lifesaving aid at the speed and massive scale required," Guterres said in New York.
At the same time, he called for the release of all hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
Guterres also warned Israel against attacking the region around Rafah, in the very south of the strip, where more than 1 million people have fled the fighting elsewhere in the strip.
Such an attack could "plunge the people of Gaza even deeper into hell," he said.
Washington has been pressing for a ceasefire by the start of Ramadan and the release of hostages but the talks remain deadlocked despite weeks of efforts.
Given the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, despite hopes that relief might be imminent, a ship due to bring aid from Cyprus was further delayed on Monday.
It remains unclear when the Open Arms ship would leave the Larnaca harbour though it was originally due to leave on Sunday evening.
Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said on the radio that the delay is related to issues concerning the unloading and distribution of the aid supplies. "There have been problems with some of these issues," he said.
A second shipment of humanitarian aid is waiting at the port of Larnaca and could be delivered to Gaza in the next few days.
Professor of political science and head of the Cyprus Research Centre (KYKEM), Christos Iakovou, said on Cypriot television that the ship's repeatedly postponed departure is due to Israel wanting to ensure the aid is not accepted and distributed by Hamas or other extremist organizations.
The Cypriot government says, Open Arms, which is set to tow a cargo platform, has 200 tons of drinking water, medicine and food on board.
Larnaca is 400 kilometres from Gaza and the journey could take 48 to 60 hours. It is unclear where and how the ship will unload its cargo after arriving off the Gaza coast.
Supplying goods to Gaza is considered a major challenge because there is only a small fishing port that is not deep enough for cargo ships.
The US military wants to set up a temporary pier with international partners, but Washington says building it will take some two months.
