Who is Marwan Issa, the so-called 'Shadow' Hamas commander?

Marwan Issa was considered Israel's third most wanted commander after Al-Qassam Brigades commander Muhammad Zaif and the head of the movement in Gaza, Yahya al-Sinwar.

The White House said on Monday that Marwan Issa, the third-in-command of the militant group Hamas , was killed in an Israeli strike last week.

Earlier, Israel claimed to have killed Marwan Isa in an airstrike in Gaza, but his death was not confirmed.

US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan said, referring to a telephone call between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, that 'Marwan Issa, the number three commander of Hamas, was killed in an Israeli operation last week.'

Israel has also "dismantled a Hamas battalion, killing 1,000 Hamas fighters, including senior commanders," Saleon added.

According to Jack Sullivan: 'The rest of Hamas' top leaders are in hiding, possibly deep in the network of tunnels laid in Gaza, and they too will be held accountable.'

The Israeli military said on March 11 that Marwan Isa was targeted in an airstrike on an underground compound in central Gaza on March 9 and 10. Israel claims that he was one of the planners of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.

Israel's military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said at the time that Marwan Issa was the deputy of Mohammad Zaif, the head of Hamas's armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

However, Admiral Daniel said that it was not clear whether Marwan Isa was killed in the action or not.

"We are still assessing the results of the attack and final confirmation is yet to be received," he added.

According to the Israel Broadcasting Corporation, the Israeli Air Force used about 20 tons of bombs, including anti-bunker bombs, for the attack.

According to al-Arabiya, although no official statement has been issued by Hamas regarding the death of the deputy commander of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Israel has hinted that the ball is in Hamas's court to confirm his death or not. no.

According to the British newspaper The Guardian, communication systems between Hamas leaders, which rely on encrypted applications and messengers, were shut down for more than 72 hours after the attack on Isa, which is usually the time. Whenever senior Hamas leaders are killed.

The Guardian reports that the attack on Marwan Isa indicates that Israel is receiving intelligence from key sources within the organization.

Avi Melmid, a former Israeli intelligence official and regional analyst, told the Guardian that Israel's success in carrying out the operation would require prior knowledge of Jesus' exact location and time of his presence, such as ID. F would have made sure.

Additionally, Israel had to ensure that Israeli hostages were not used as human shields near it, according to Melamed, a human informant would likely have provided all of this information.

Marwan Issa was considered Israel's third most wanted commander after Al-Qassam Brigades commander Muhammad Zaif and the head of the movement in Gaza, Yahya al-Sinwar.

Earlier, after the operation of October 7 last year, the European countries added Marwan Isa and two Hamas commanders to the list of terrorists of the European Union.

The European Union said the commander of Hamas' military wing, General Mohammad Zaif, and his deputy, Marwan Isa, were included in the list.

According to Arab News, the funds and other financial assets of the two commanders in EU member states have been frozen, while EU operators have been banned from providing them with funds and economic resources.

Who is Marwan Isa?

Marwan Issa, known as the 'Shadow Man', may be the least known of Hamas' three top leaders, but he has been involved in several key Hamas decisions in recent years, according to Reuters.

Like Muhammad Zaif, Marwan Isa's face was unknown to the public until he appeared in a group photo taken during a prisoner exchange in 2011.

From 2009 to 2011, German intelligence agency (BND) negotiator Gerhard Konrad was among the few people who met with Marwan Isa to discuss the prisoner exchange.

Konrad told Al Jazeera television: 'He was a very careful and analytical commander, that was my first impression of him.'

According to BBC, Marwan Isa was considered to be the right hand of Muhammad Zaif.

He was among Tel Aviv's most wanted men after being wounded in an assassination attempt by Israel in 2006.

Israeli forces detained him for five years during the first intifada because of his activities with Hamas.

He was arrested by the Palestinian Authority in 1997, but was released after the Second Intifada came to power in 2000.

His home was also destroyed by Israeli warplanes during the 2014 and 2021 strikes on Gaza that killed his brothers.

He is believed to have been instrumental in planning the invasion of Israel, including the October 7 operation.