Gaza/Jerusalem, March 24: The Israeli army has killed Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas’ politburo, and at least four other Palestinians in an airstrike on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources and eyewitnesses.

Local sources and eyewitnesses told Xinhua news agency on Sunday that an Israeli drone targeted the second floor of the emergency building in the complex, where the surgery department is located, with at least one missile, causing a large fire.

Medics confirmed to Xinhua that medical workers immediately recovered the bodies of five people, including Barhoum, along with a number of injured persons, some in critical condition.

“The Israeli army targeted the surgery building inside the Nasser Medical Complex a short while ago, which housed many patients and wounded, and a large fire broke out there,” Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement in the evening.

Later, Hamas confirmed the death of Barhoum, saying he was receiving treatment in a hospital ward when the attack happened, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces said Sunday night that they launched an attack on the Nasser Hospital compound in southern Gaza, claiming they targeted a Hamas official.

In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet domestic security agency described the official as a “key” Hamas militant, who was “operating inside the Nasser Hospital compound” in Khan Younis, without providing the official’s name and identity.

They added that “the strike was conducted following an extensive intelligence-gathering process and with precise munitions, in order to mitigate harm to the surrounding environment as much as possible”.

The strike comes after Israeli operations intensified in southern Gaza, with the military saying earlier on Sunday that it had encircled an entire district and ordered evacuations.

he Israeli military resumed air and ground operations in Gaza earlier this week, blamed on Hamas for refusing to agree to revised terms on extending the first phase of the ceasefire. Gaza health officials meanwhile said the toll from the fighting since October 7, 2023, has passed 50,000.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz in a statement hailed the killing of Barhoum, saying he was “the new Hamas Prime Minister in Gaza, who replaced Issam Da’alis, the previous Prime Minister who was eliminated a few days ago”.

He was at least the fourth member of Hamas’s political bureau killed since last Tuesday, when Israel resumed airstrikes in the territory after an impasse over continuing a ceasefire. Earlier Sunday, an Israeli airstrike near Khan Younis killed Salah al-Bardawil, another senior member of its political bureau.

Barhoum was a member of Hamas’s political wing and had been involved in financial activities for the terror group, according to the European Union, which placed sanctions on him last year. He was also reported to have dealt with Hamas’s finances.

Out of the 20 members of Hamas’s political bureau elected in 2021, 11 have been assassinated during the war in Gaza. Seven are either certain or highly likely to be outside the Gaza Strip.

In a separate announcement on Sunday, the IDF and Shin Bet security agency said two senior Hamas military wing commanders had been killed in recent airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

Nasser Medical Complex is the second-largest hospital in Gaza and has been subjected to several Israeli attacks since the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023.

Wellington, March 22: Calling India an “increasingly important partner”, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Saturday that the partnership between the two countries has “grown much stronger” during his five-day visit to New Delhi and Mumbai, earlier this week.

“India, the world’s most populous country, is an increasingly important partner for New Zealand. That partnership has grown much stronger during my visit this week,” Luxon said after returning home from an official visit to India from March 16-20.

“It was a pleasure to visit India this week and spend time with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss ways to strengthen ties between our countries. I am delighted that negotiations on a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement have now been launched,” he added.

This was Luxon’s first visit to India in his current capacity – also the first by a New Zealand Prime Minister since October 2016. During their discussions, both Prime Ministers welcomed the launch of FTA negotiations for a balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial trade agreement to achieve deeper economic integration.

“India is one of the fastest-growing economies and on track to become the third largest in the world over the next 10 years. Our Government is relentlessly focused on growing our economy so that all Kiwis can do better, and the launch of negotiations presents an opportunity to do exactly that,” Luxon posted on X on Saturday.

Bolstering bilateral defence cooperation, the two countries have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Defence Cooperation and noted the need for ensuring the safety and security of sea lanes of communication while agreeing that there needs to be regular dialogue to discuss enhancement of maritime safety.

“New Zealand’s commitment to regional security has also been reinforced, with New Zealand and India announcing a new Defence Cooperation Arrangement,” the New Zealand PM said on Saturday.

During his five-day visit to New Delhi and Mumbai, Luxon was also accompanied by Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston; Ethnic Communities, and Sport and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell; Todd McClay, the Minister for Trade and Investment, Agriculture, and Forestry; and, a high-level delegation comprising of officials, and representatives of businesses, community diaspora, media and cultural groups.

“On top of that, I and our business delegation focused on enhancing New Zealand’s presence in key sectors, including education, technology, tourism, investment, manufacturing, food and primary industries. Unlocking new business opportunities, 33 MOUs and other commercial outcomes were progressed on the mission, reflecting the growing partnerships between New Zealand and Indian businesses,” Luxon said after returning home.

United Nations, March 22: UN humanitarians are seeking Israel’s assurance of safety, as intensified hostilities have joined aid blockage in severely hampering the delivery of relief into Gaza.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday the United Nations is seeking concrete assurances for the safety of staff and operations in Gaza following the killing of six UN personnel and injury of several others this week, including in the attack on a clearly designated UN compound, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We demand answers on their behalf and for those who continue the work,” Tom Fletcher, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said Wednesday.

OCHA said the 20-day closure of Gaza crossings to aid deliveries is having a devastating impact on people already facing catastrophic conditions.

“Each passing day further erodes the progress made by the UN and our humanitarian partners during the first six weeks of the ceasefire,” the office said. “OCHA warns that humanitarian operations are now being severely hampered by hostilities. Civilians, including aid workers, and civilian assets have come under attack.”

OCHA warned that as attacks continue across the Gaza Strip, the steady flow of trauma injuries is putting even more pressure on an already shattered healthcare system.

The UN’s humanitarian partners estimate that more than 120,000 Palestinians have been displaced once again this week, driven by intensified attacks and new Israeli evacuation orders across Gaza, OCHA said. “That’s about 6 per cent of the surviving population.”

A new evacuation order covering areas in northern Gaza was issued on Friday following reports of rocket fire by Palestinian armed groups.

In the West Bank, OCHA said a rapid survey of movement obstacles across the occupied territory showed nearly 850 checkpoints, gates and other physical barriers, the highest number in any study over the past two decades.

“In just the past three months, three dozen new movement obstacles have been established, most of them following the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire in mid-January,” OCHA said. “Road gates account for a third of all obstacles, and most of them are frequently kept closed.”

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said that Friday marks 60 days since Israel began military operations in Jenin Camp in the West Bank.

He said such large-scale, militarized operations cannot become the new norm in the West Bank. The trend of escalating violence that started before October 7, 2023 must be reversed.