The Israeli army said on Friday that it had killed a Hamas commander who was responsible for attacks on aid convoys in the war-torn Gaza Strip.

According to the army, Ridwan Mohammed Abdullah Ridwan had ordered an attack on moving aid deliveries in the village of Jabalia in the north of the Palestinian territory to bring them under Hamas control.

The Hamas-controlled health authority in the Gaza Strip confirmed the death of the man.

However, according to them, the police chief in Jabalia, rather than Mr Ridwan, was responsible for protecting aid deliveries.

It was not initially possible to independently verify the statements made by both sides.

The number of people in Gaza killed since the start of the war on October 7 was put at 33,634 by the Hamas authorities in its latest figures.

More than 76,200 others have been injured. The health authority does not differentiate between Hamas fighters and civilians in these figures.

The war in Gaza was triggered by the unprecedented terrorist attacks by Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7, which killed more than 1,200 people in areas of Israel near the Gaza border.

Israel responded with massive air strikes and a ground offensive.

Israel is being increasingly criticised internationally due to the high number of civilian casualties and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

(dpa/MAN)