Nizar Rayyan is the highest-ranking Hamas leader to be killed by Israeli airstrikes in the last six days, and was an advocate of homicide bombings against Israel.
Also on Thursday, Israel demanded international monitors as a key term of any future truce with Gaza Strip militants, as its warplanes bombed the parliament building in Gaza City and its ships attacked coastline positions of the territory’s Islamic Hamas rulers.
International agreement to set up such a force would give Israel a way to end its devastating, 6-day-old offensive against Hamas, even as thousands of Israeli ground troops massed along the border in anticipation of a possible land invasion. So far, the campaign to crush rocket fire on southern Israel has been conducted largely from the air, and a poll on Thursday showed most Israelis aren’t eager to see a ground push.
Military spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich said preparations for a ground operation were complete.