The US has charged several Hamas leaders in connection with the Palestinian group’s deadly attack on Israel on 7 October last year.

The justice department said it was indicting six Hamas members with crimes including the murder of US citizens, conspiracy to finance terrorism and use of weapons of mass destruction.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland “The charges unsealed today are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’s operations.” 

Among those accused is Ismael Haniyeh, Hamas political leader who was killed in Iran in July, and Yahya Sinwar, who took over following Haniyeh’s death.

Also charged are Marwan Issa, the deputy leader of the organisation’s armed wing; Khaled Mashaal, who leads the group outside Gaza and the West Bank; Mohammed Deif and Ali Baraka.

The Justice Department’s complaint notes that all the “defendants are either deceased or remain at large”.

This news comes in the wake of continued action by Israel in Gaza.

According to Al Jazeera, Gaza’s Civil Defence spokesperson says Israeli strikes on Gaza City have intensified since this morning, as at least nine were killed – including two children – when Israel hit a family home there.

Five children were also said to have been wounded by Israeli forces at a residential building near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza shortly after a pause in fighting for polio vaccinations ends.