Three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an Israeli airstrike, Israel's military said on Wednesday, confirming earlier media reports.
The Israeli military said the men conducted militant activity in central Gaza, without elaborating.
Haniyeh had announced the deaths of his sons Hazem, Amir and Mohammad in an interview with Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera.
He added that the deaths of three of his 13 children would not affect Hamas' cease-fire demands, as sensitive negotiations continue.
"The enemy believes that by targeting the families of the leaders, it will push them to give up the demands of our people," Haniyeh told Al Jazeera.
He added it was "delusional" to think that such attacks would get Hamas to "change its position."
Three of Haniyeh's grandchildren were also reported killed in the strike.
Hamas-affiliated media said the strike targeted the Shati refugee camp, just northwest of Gaza City. The brothers were traveling with family members in a single vehicle, Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV said.
Haniyeh, referring to Israel as a "criminal enemy driven by the spirit of revenge" also claimed that at least 60 members of his family have been killed since the start of the war, which was started after Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel, killing over 1,200 people.
Haniyeh, a millionaire who now lives in Qatar, has regularly stated his refusal to recognize the state of Israel.
In 2018, he was designated an international terrorist by the US. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the US, Germany, Israel and several other governments.
Israel to open new border crossing for aid into Gaza Strip
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced what he called "the next phase of the humanitarian campaign" that would "flood Gaza with aid."
"We plan to flood Gaza with aid, and we are expecting to reach 500 trucks per day," Gallant told reporters. He said Israel would "streamline security checks" that aid organizations blamed for limiting the flow of humanitarian aid to people in the Gaza Strip and would build a new border crossing into northern Gaza.
The steps come amid intense international pressure on Israel to allow more food, water and other supplies to enter Gaza. Last week, US President Joe Biden called for Israel to take "immediate action" to increase aid allowed into Gaza during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Gallant did not specify when the new border crossing would be built or opened.
Gallant said Israel more than doubled the daily average of aid trucks crossing into Gaza over the last few days.
"We saw a record number of 467 trucks and 303 air-dropped packages (Tuesday)," he said. "Last month the daily average was 213 and before that it was 170."
Before Israel's military operation in Gaza, which followed terror attacks by Hamas militants that killed 1,200 in southern Israel, about 500 trucks carrying aid entered the Palestinian enclave daily, according to the United Nations.
