Islamic Jihad leaders killed in Damascus suburb airstrike

Two senior leaders of the Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian armed group involved in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, were killed in an Israeli airstrike near Damascus on Thursday, a source within the group confirmed to AFP on Saturday.

The strike hit the locality of Qoudsaya, in the suburbs of Damascus, and claimed the lives of:

• Abdel Aziz Al Minaoui, a member of the political bureau of Islamic Jihad.
• Rasmi Abou Issa, the group's head of external relations.

The targeted airstrike is part of Israel’s ongoing campaign against militant groups following the October 7 attack, which triggered intense conflict in the region.

The Islamic Jihad continues to hold hostages captured during the October 7 attack in southern Israel, including individuals of various nationalities. 

This week, the group released two video clips of Sacha Trupanov, a 29-year-old Russo-Israeli hostage. The videos have drawn international concern and condemnation, with calls for the immediate release of all captives.