Jerusalem, Dec 6 (IANS): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) announced on Friday the killing of three senior Hamas commanders in airstrikes carried out in the Gaza Strip this week.

The commanders were implicated in the October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in numerous civilian casualties and abductions, said the statement.

Among those killed was Majdi Aqilan, the deputy commander of Hamas' Shati Battalion. IDF said Aqilan was in charge of commanding the onslaught in Nahal Oz kibbutz on October 7 and has since been behind much of the terrorist activity against IDF troops in Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.

Another target, Mamdouh Mehna, was a senior figure in Hamas' tunneling operations. Mehna allegedly participated in the attack on Nahal Oz on October 7.

The third commander, Ahmad Suwaidan, also of the Shati Battalion, was reportedly involved in the abduction of Israeli civilians during the October 7 assault.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and around 250 others taken hostage.

The relentless Israeli attacks in Gaza have caused an immense humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave. The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has surpassed 44,000, according to Gaza-based health authorities.