Nigeria's fashion sector is hemorrhaging billions of dollars annually due to overwhelming reliance on imported fabrics, particularly the iconic Ankara prints that have become synonymous with Nigerian style, according to a comprehensive new analysis.

The Consonance Investment report "Who is Dressing 220+ Million Nigerians?" reveals a stark reality: approximately 90% of Ankara fabrics consumed across Nigeria and the broader African continent originate from foreign manufacturers, predominantly in China and India. This dependency translates to an estimated $3 billion in annual value loss for Nigeria's domestic economy.

Cultural Significance Meets Economic Reality

Ankara fabric holds deep cultural significance in Nigerian society, frequently worn as Aso-Ebi—a Yoruba tradition where families and friends don matching fabrics at weddings, funerals, and celebrations to demonstrate unity. Despite this cultural importance and Nigerians' substantial fashion spending habits, ranging from ₦36,000 to over ₦20 million annually per individual, the economic benefits flow primarily to overseas producers.

The report highlights a troubling disconnect: while Nigerian consumers collectively spend between $2.5 billion and $6 billion on clothing each year, the domestic fashion industry contributes merely $129 million (₦205 billion) to the nation's GDP—representing just 0.47% of total economic output.

Structural Challenges Plague Domestic Production

Local fashion brands and textile manufacturers capture less than 15% of Nigeria's clothing supply market, hampered by insufficient investment in domestic production capabilities and retail infrastructure. The report emphasizes that over 85% of fashion supply chains bypass formal local industry channels entirely.

"Most local brands have to build their own infrastructure across the value chain, i.e., from design to distribution," the analysis notes, highlighting the burden facing domestic entrepreneurs who must construct entire operational frameworks without adequate institutional support.

Import-Export Imbalance Tells the Story

The numbers paint a vivid picture of Nigeria's fashion trade deficit. Annual apparel and textile imports reach $6 billion, with an additional estimated $1.2 billion in smuggled goods entering the market. In stark contrast, Nigeria's fashion exports remain below $100 million annually, creating a massive outflow of foreign currency.

Informal Markets Dominate Retail Landscape

Nigeria's fashion retail ecosystem is heavily concentrated in informal markets, with traditional trading hubs like Balogun Market in Lagos, Onitsha Main Market in Anambra, and Wuse Market in Abuja accounting for approximately 60% of all fashion retail activity. This informal structure, while providing employment and accessibility, limits the industry's ability to scale and formalize operations.

The report identifies significant employment in manufacturing clusters, particularly in Aba, where approximately 25,000 people work directly in garment and leather production, with many more engaged in supporting industries. Additionally, at least 10,000 Nigerian fashion vendors operate through Instagram, creating a substantial informal e-commerce ecosystem.

Financing Remains a Critical Gap

Access to structured capital represents another major constraint, with less than 15% of Nigeria's fashion market receiving formal financing from banks or government agencies. The vast majority of fashion brands rely on self-funding, limiting their ability to scale operations, invest in equipment, or develop supply chains.

Untapped Potential Amid Fragmentation

Despite these challenges, the report characterizes Nigeria's fashion industry as possessing enormous untapped potential. The combination of strong domestic demand, significant cultural influence, and a large consumer base creates opportunities for growth—if structural barriers can be addressed.

The analysis suggests that with appropriate investment in domestic production capabilities, improved access to financing, and better integration of formal and informal market channels, Nigeria could capture significantly more value from its fashion consumption and potentially become a regional manufacturing hub rather than remaining dependent on imports for its most culturally significant textiles.

Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected the new President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, succeeding Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina, who has led the institution since 2015.

According to a statement released by the AfDB, Tah was elected on Thursday during the Bank’s Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. He will officially assume office as the Bank’s 9th president on September 1, 2025.

The election was conducted by the AfDB’s Board of Governors, which consists of finance ministers, economy ministers, or central bank governors representing the Bank’s 81 regional and non-regional member countries. Niale Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chair of the Board of Governors, announced the results.

To be elected, a candidate must secure at least 50.01% of both regional and non-regional member votes.

Tah emerged victorious from a field of five candidates that included Amadou Hott (Senegal), Samuel Maimbo (Zambia), Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad), and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa). The final list of contenders was approved by the Bank’s Board of Governors Steering Committee following the close of nominations on January 31 and was officially announced on February 21.

With more than 35 years of experience in African and international finance, Tah brings a deep well of expertise to his new role. He served for a decade as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), where he led a major institutional transformation—quadrupling its balance sheet, achieving a AAA credit rating, and elevating BADEA among the top development banks serving the continent.

Tah is also a former Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance in Mauritania and has held senior positions across multilateral institutions. His work has included spearheading crisis response initiatives, financial reforms, and innovative financing strategies, such as the creation of BADEA’s $1 billion callable capital program to support African multilateral development banks.

His election marks the end of a transformative era under Adesina’s leadership, during which the AfDB advanced its development impact across Africa.

US proposes 60-day ceasefire for Gaza, plan shows

A U.S. plan for Gaza seen by Reuters on Friday proposes a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 28 Israeli hostages alive and dead in the first week, in return for the release of 125 Palestinian prisoners sentenced for life and remnants of 180 Palestinian dead.

The plan includes sending aid to Gaza as soon as Hamas signs off on the ceasefire agreement.

** Israel has agreed to a U.S. ceasefire proposal for Gaza, the White House said on Thursday, and Hamas said it was reviewing the plan although its terms did not meet the group's demands.

As a U.S.-backed system for distributing food aid in the shattered enclave expanded, Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the families of hostages held in Gaza that Israel had accepted a deal presented by U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Netanyahu's office did not confirm the reports, but White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters in Washington that Israel had signed off on the proposal.

She did not detail its contents. A source briefed on the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the initial phase of the proposed deal would include a 60-day ceasefire and the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas said it was studying the proposal, and senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters the group was still discussing it.

But Abu Zuhri said its terms echoed Israel's position and do not contain commitments to end the war, withdraw Israeli troops or admit aid as Hamas has demanded.

Deep differences between Hamas and Israel have stymied previous attempts to restore a ceasefire that broke down in March after only two months.

Israel has insisted that Hamas disarm completely and be dismantled as a military and governing force and that all 58 hostages still held in Gaza must be returned before it will agree to end the war.

Hamas has rejected the demand to give up its weapons and says Israel must pull its troops out of Gaza and commit to ending the war.

Reuters

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia reveals team for next round of Ukraine peace talks

Russia’s negotiating team for the next round of direct peace talks with Ukraine will remain unchanged, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky will once again lead the delegation.

Moscow and Kiev last met for direct talks in Istanbul on May 16, marking the first formal negotiations since 2022. That round resulted in the largest prisoner exchange to date, with 1,000 individuals released by each side. The parties also agreed to prepare written proposals—a pair of memorandums—outlining their positions on a potential ceasefire ahead of the next meeting.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has proposed holding the follow-up talks on Monday, June 2, again in Istanbul. Zakharova later confirmed that the same Russian delegation will attend.

Her comments came after Medinsky, denied Ukrainian claims that Moscow is stalling the peace process. In a post on Telegram on Wednesday, he said he had called Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who leads Kiev’s negotiation team, and proposed “a date and location for the exchange of memorandums.”

“We are ready to begin substantive discussions on a framework agreement for a potential ceasefire,” the Russian official stated.

On Wednesday evening, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov confirmed that Moscow’s memorandum is ready, triggering a demand from Kiev that the document be released.

In a post on X Umerov stated that he had “handed over our document to the head of the Russian delegation, which reflects the Ukrainian position.”

“We are not opposed to further meetings with the Russians and are awaiting their ‘memorandum,’ so that the next meeting won’t be empty and can truly move us closer to ending the war,” Kiev’s top negotiator added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday dismissed Umerov’s demands to see the Russian memorandum prior to any forthcoming talks as “unconstructive.”

“They should either confirm they are prepared for talks or say otherwise,” Peskov said.

The Ukrainian leadership had previously insisted on a 30-day pause in hostilities as a precondition for negotiations. Russia rejected the proposal, arguing that Kiev would use it to regroup its military. Ukraine later revised its position under pressure from US President Donald Trump.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that for a full ceasefire to be achieved, Ukraine must halt its mobilization, stop receiving foreign weapons, and withdraw its forces from the territory Moscow claims.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian drones damage hospital, homes in Russia's Kursk, official says

Ukrainian drones launched a night-time attack on Russia's western Kursk region, damaging a hospital and apartment buildings and injuring at least one person, the regional governor said early on Friday.

Across the border in Ukraine's Sumy region, the regional governor reported fresh fighting in villages near the border where Russia has been seizing territory. He said various areas in his region were constantly changing hands.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he wants to create a buffer zone in Sumy, which was used to help launch Ukraine's incursion into Kursk last year.

In the Kursk region, where Russia's military says Ukrainian forces who staged the incursion last August have been ejected, Governor Alexander Khinshtein said Ukrainian drones swarmed the main town, also called Kursk.

"Drone fragments damaged the No. 1 city hospital in Kursk. Windows were smashed. Fortunately, no patients were injured," Khinshtein wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "Falling drone fragments have also damaged high-rise apartment buildings.

Ukraine's military says its forces remain active in small areas of Kursk region.

Authorities in Sumy region, under constant Russian attack for months, acknowledged this week that Russian forces were in control of at least four villages near the border.

"Active battles continue in certain border areas, notably around the settlements of Khotyn and Yunakivka," Governor Oleh Hryhorov wrote on Facebook.

"The situation on the line of contact is constantly changing. In some places, we hold the initiative, in others the enemy is proving to be active."

Russia's Defence Ministry on Thursday said its forces had captured three more villages as it slowly advances through parts of eastern Ukraine.

These were Stroivka in northeastern Kharkiv region, where Moscow has long been applying pressure, and Shevchenko Pershe and Hnativka near the town of Pokrovsk, the focal point of Russia's westward drive for months.

Ukrainian military reports have made no acknowledgement of any of the three villages coming under Russian control. A statement on Thursday evening said Russian forces had launched 53 attacks over 24 hours near Pokrovsk.

RT/Reuters

There’s not a single problem in my life that couldn’t be solved or at least ameliorated by a large influx of cash. But the point of the old saying that money can’t buy happiness is that the excitement that comes with buying expensive gadgets and tchotchkes rarely lasts. So maybe I’ve had the means to make myself happier all along. 

“Research shows that strategic spending absolutely pumps up your happiness levels, but not in the way you may think,” says Jessica Weiss, a happiness researcher and author of the upcoming book, “Happiness Works: The Science of Thriving at Work.”

The key, she says, is to focus on purchases that bring you lasting joy — not just the rush that comes when you buy something advertised on Instagram — like these three investments in your future happiness. 

1. Novel experiences. Trying new things comes with a dopamine release and the sensation that time progresses more slowly, says Weiss. 

“Even small novel experiences like checking out a new farmer’s market, calling a friend you haven’t spoken to in ages, painting your nails an unexpected color, can create what researchers call “time abundance,” making life feel richer and more textured,” she says. 

2. Time-saving purchases. Don’t think of hiring a cleaner or paying for meal delivery as wasteful, says Weiss, if it boosts your mental health. 

“Research shows that time-saving purchases reduce stress more effectively than material splurges,” she says. “When you outsource tasks you dread, you’re not being lazy — you’re being brilliant. Your future self, the one not frantically cleaning before guests arrive, will thank you.”

3. Activities that boost relationships. Spending on friends and family can be both healthy and beneficial, says Weiss.

“After tracking people for more than 80 years, Harvard researchersdiscovered something surprising: close relationships predict happiness better than genetics, wealth, or fame,” she says. “That dinner with friends or plane ticket to visit your sister? It’s not just a purchase — it’s a deposit into your emotional retirement account, paying dividends for decades.”

CNBC

Nigeria's security situation has dramatically deteriorated during President Bola Tinubu's first two years in office, with armed groups and bandits killing more than 10,000 people across seven states, according to a comprehensive investigation by Amnesty International.

The human rights organization documented at least 10,217 deaths between May 2023 and May 2025 in Benue, Edo, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Sokoto, and Zamfara states. Benue State recorded the highest casualties with 6,896 deaths, while Plateau State saw 2,630 people killed during this period.

New Armed Groups Emerge

The security landscape has become increasingly complex with the emergence of new militant organizations, including Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi states, and Mamuda in Kwara State. These groups have joined existing threats like Boko Haram in terrorizing rural communities across Nigeria's northern regions.

Isa Sanusi, director of Amnesty International Nigeria, criticized the government's response to the crisis. "President Tinubu must fulfill his promises to Nigerians and urgently address the resurgence of the nation's endemic security crisis," Sanusi stated, noting that security measures implemented by the current administration have proven ineffective.

Villages Under Siege

The investigation revealed that 672 villages have been destroyed by bandits across three states, with entire communities forced to abandon their homes. In Zamfara State alone, 481 villages have been sacked while 529 villages remain under bandit control across 13 local government areas.

Daily attacks have become commonplace in Zamfara, with multiple incidents sometimes occurring within 24 hours. The state has recorded 273 deaths and 467 abductions over the past two years, with women and girls comprising the majority of kidnapping victims.

Systematic Destruction

The violence extends beyond killings to systematic destruction of infrastructure. In Benue State, attackers have deliberately targeted essential services, destroying boreholes, medical clinics, schools, grain reserves, and places of worship. All 23 local government areas in the state have experienced such attacks, with 148 villages completely destroyed across seven local governments.

The April 3 attack on Bokkos local government in Plateau State exemplified the brutality, with entire families murdered including children. Between March 27 and April 2, 2025, coordinated assaults targeted five communities simultaneously: Daffo, Gwande, Hurti, Manguna, and Ruwi.

Humanitarian Emergency Looms

The violence has displaced over 515,000 people across the affected regions, creating a looming humanitarian crisis. Benue State alone accounts for 450,000 internally displaced persons, while Plateau State has 65,000 displaced residents. Many communities have been forced to relocate multiple times as attackers target displacement camps and schools serving as shelters.

The displacement of farming communities threatens food security, as agricultural production has been severely disrupted. In Zamfara State's Dangulbi district, farmers watch their sweet potato harvests rot because bandits prevent transportation to markets. Many displaced persons have resorted to begging for survival.

Economic Extortion

Beyond physical violence, armed groups have implemented systematic extortion schemes, demanding tribute payments from rural communities via telephone. Residents face death threats if they fail to meet payment deadlines, creating a climate of economic terrorism alongside physical intimidation.

One resident from Maru local government in Zamfara State described the government's inadequate response: "The only relationship between us and the government is that they issue media statements after we are attacked and killed. When the next attack comes, they will issue another empty statement, while bandits escalate their atrocities."

International Obligations Unfulfilled

Under international human rights law, Nigeria's government has clear obligations to protect citizens' lives and ensure accountability for perpetrators. Amnesty International argues that authorities are systematically failing these responsibilities, creating a cycle of impunity that emboldens further violence.

The organization emphasized that time is running out as attacks continue to escalate daily across multiple states. The failure to hold suspected perpetrators accountable has created an environment where citizens feel completely unsafe, with insurgents and bandits increasingly bold in their operations.

Call for Action

Amnesty International demands immediate concrete action from Nigerian authorities to match their public commitments with effective security measures. The organization has monitored banditry attacks and farmer-herder conflicts since 2016, previously documenting government failures to protect rural communities in a 2020 investigation.

The current crisis represents a significant escalation of Nigeria's long-standing security challenges, with the emergence of new armed groups and the systematic nature of attacks marking a dangerous evolution in the country's instability. Without immediate and comprehensive intervention, the situation threatens to spiral into an even more severe humanitarian catastrophe.

Troops of operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have arrested 18 serving soldiers and 15 police officers for allegedly selling arms to terrorists and other criminal elements.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday about the activities of troops in the north-east, Ademola Owolana, a major, said operation snowball, an exercise launched in August 2024 to target ammunition racketeering in the theatre, has recorded successes.

Owolana said the exercise was conducted across 11 states, with suspects arrested in Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Enugu, Lagos, Plateau, Kaduna, Rivers, Taraba and the federal capital territory (FCT).

He said eight civilians and one traditional ruler were also arrested over alleged arms racketeering.

“So far, a total of 18 soldiers, 15 mobile policemen, and eight civilians, including a traditional ruler, have been arrested,” he said.

Owolana said the “lucrative” nature of arms racketeering is the driving force behind the illegal activity.

He noted that Ameh Raphael, an armourer of the 7th division garrison, who has been engaging in the act since 2018, had N45 million in his bank account.

He added that Seidi Adamu of the 3rd division ordnance services, who has also been in the trade since 2022, had N34 million in his bank account.

He said the investigation revealed that N135 million passed through the bank account of Enoch Ngwa, a police inspector, arrested for arms racketeering.

He accused some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) of conveying additives and food items to terrorist locations under the guise of humanitarian assistance.

“Additionally, a few soldiers motivated by greed are involved in ammunition racketeering, deliberately diverting arms from the military stockpiles and supply chains to terrorists,” he said.

“Such actions erode battlefield morale, reduce troops’ effectiveness, and strengthen enemy resistance.

“The most recent incident occurred on 24th February this year when a soldier of 144 Battalion was arrested with 30 rounds of 7.62mm specials at Tashin-Karo Kano by a military police K-19 on route search operations.

“Consequently, the theatre has continued to warn troops at all levels of the severe repercussions and sanctions of ammunition racketeering.

“Those found culpable have been dismissed and handed over to the police to serve as a deterrent.”

The Cable

Nigeria has relinquished its long-held position as Africa’s largest importer of refined petroleum products following the ramp-up of operations at the Dangote Petrochemical Refinery, a new report has stated.

South Africa has now overtaken Nigeria as the continent’s largest fuel importer, according to new data from energy consultancy CITAC, signalling a seismic shift in Africa’s downstream oil market.

The refinery, which began large-scale production in early 2024, is already disrupting established trade flows across sub-Saharan Africa and reshaping the continent’s energy dynamics.

With a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the largest single-train refinery in the world, its rising output is sharply reducing Nigeria’s dependence on petrol imports.

The latest figures released by an energy consultancy, CITAC, on Wednesday, showed that Nigeria imported 3.1 million metric tonnes of refined petroleum products in the first quarter of 2025.

In contrast, South Africa brought in 4.2 million tonnes over the same period, cementing its status as the continent’s biggest fuel importer.

“Nigerian imports are dropping as a result of the continued operation of Dangote,” said Elitsa Georgieva, Executive Director at CITAC.

“Since the beginning of this year, South African imports have been consistently the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Crude throughput across sub-Saharan African refineries rose by 77.8 per cent year-on-year in 2024, jumping from an average of 382,500 barrels per day in 2023 to 680,100 barrels per day in 2024. This leap was almost entirely driven by the Dangote plant.”

The development marks a significant milestone for Nigeria, which has for decades paradoxically relied on imported fuel despite being Africa’s top crude oil producer.

The report further estimated that Nigeria’s total refined fuel imports for 2025 will fall to 6.4 million tonnes, less than half of South Africa’s projected 15.5 million tonnes.

“The Nigerian market has undergone major product flow changes since mid-2023. The long-awaited 650 kb/d Dangote refinery near Lagos began operations in January 2024, steadily ramping up throughput and streaming secondary units throughout the year. Output from the Dangote refinery has displaced the bulk of international clean products imports in West Africa,” the report explained.

The Dangote refinery has become a major source of petroleum product offtake and has ramped up to 550,000 barrels of refining capacity per day. While Nigeria’s imports are on the decline, South Africa’s dependence on foreign fuel is deepening.

Its growing reliance on imported fuels stems from a sharp decline in its refining capacity. Industrial accidents, ageing infrastructure, and chronic underinvestment have forced the shutdown of several facilities since 2020.

Transnet SOC Ltd, South Africa’s state-owned logistics company, reports that imports now meet over 60 per cent of national fuel demand. The situation worsened in 2022 when the country’s largest refinery, Sapref, a joint venture between Shell Plc and BP Plc, was idled.

Although the government acquired the plant in 2023 in a bid to restart operations, no relaunch date has been confirmed. “South Africa’s infrastructure is mature, but its refining shortfall is now attracting foreign traders who can bridge the gap,” said an industry executive involved in the Shell divestment talks.

Analysts say Nigeria’s reduced import dependency could support the naira, relieve pressure on foreign exchange reserves, and narrow trade deficits. The shift also has fiscal implications for the government, which has historically spent heavily on subsidising imported fuel.

Meanwhile, Swiss-based oil trader Mocoh has said it’s undergoing a strategic overhaul as the Dangote refinery reshapes fuel supply dynamics across West Africa, disrupting traditional trade routes and prompting a shift in business models.

For years, Mocoh built its core business around supplying premium motor spirit, popularly known as petrol, to Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil consumer, relying heavily on deals with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

However, that changed dramatically with the phased start-up of the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote refinery, which began supplying large volumes of fuel to the domestic market in 2024.

“In early 2025, we saw a paradigm shift,” said Olivier Lassagne, Mocoh’s new CEO, in an interview with Platts. “We lost most of our petrol trade with NNPC, but that’s pushed us to grow beyond our traditional niche and reposition for the future.”

Moscow, which has operated in Nigeria for nearly three decades, has found new footing by partnering with Dangote to export surplus fuel to regional markets like Benin, Cameroon and Burkina Faso.

Yet, competition is fierce. Dangote has so far favoured trading giants like Vitol, BP and Trafigura for major offtake deals, while newer players such as Afreximbank-backed Atmin are vying to expand intra-African flows.

“Dangote values flexibility and market pricing. They aren’t tying themselves down with exclusive partners,” Lassagne said, adding that Mocoh is positioning itself as a nimble regional player.

Punch

Renowned Kenyan author and academic Ngügĩ wa Thiong’o died on Wednesday at 87.

On Wednesday evening, his daughter, Wanjiku Wa Ngugi, posted on Facebook that the novelist had passed.

She wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dad, Ngügĩ wa Thiong’o, this Wednesday morning, 28th May 2025.”

She spoke about her father’s legacy and last wish: “He lived a full life and fought a good fight. As was his last wish, let’s celebrate his life and work. Ria ratha na ria thua. Turi aira”

She further hinted that the family’s spokesperson, Nducu Wa Ngugi, will announce details of his celebration of life soon.

Ngugi, the literary icon

Ngugi, born on 5 January 1938, authored many books, novels, plays, short stories, and essays. Ngugi authored ‘Weep Not Child’, ‘The River Between’, ‘Petals of Blood and Wizard of the Crow’.

He was also popular for his literary style, children’s literature, and open criticism of social disorder. He was considered East Africa’s leading novelist.

He founded and edited Mutiri, a Gikuyu journal. His short story, ‘The Upright Revolution: Or Why Humans Walk Upright’, was translated into 100 languages and sold worldwide.

Despite facing imprisonment and exile for criticising the dictatorial government in Kenya, he has remained an influential figure in African literature.

His work includes novels, plays, short stories, and essays on topics ranging from literary and social criticism to children’s literature.

In March 2024, Source, a Kenyan online newspaper, said Ngugi was suffering from kidney failure and was living alone and under the care of medical personnel at his house in California, US.

PT

Netanyahu says Hamas Gaza chief Mohammad Sinwar has been killed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Mohammad Sinwar, Hamas' Gaza chief and the younger brother of the Palestinian militant group's deceased leader and mastermind of the October 2023 attack, Yahya Sinwar, had been killed.

Mohammad Sinwar had been the target of an Israeli strike on a hospital in southern Gaza earlier this month and Netanyahu said on May 21 that it was likely he was dead.

The Israeli leader announced that Sinwar had been "eliminated" in an address to the Israeli parliament as he listed off names of other Hamas officials that Israel had killed over the past 20 months, including Sinwar's brother Yahya.

"In the last two days we have been in a dramatic turn towards a complete defeat of Hamas," he said, adding that Israel was also "taking control of food distribution", a reference to a new aid distribution system in Gaza managed by a U.S.-backed group.

Hamas has yet to confirm Sinwar's death.

Netanyahu's announcement comes as the Israeli military has intensified its war campaign in Gaza after breaking a fragile ceasefire with Hamas in March. Israel has said it aims to dismantle Hamas' governing and military capabilities and secure the release of hostages that are still held in Gaza.

The war erupted on October 7, 2023 when Hamas-led militants stormed out of Gaza, rampaging through southern Israeli communities and killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

More than 250 were captured and taken as hostages into Gaza.

Israel's retaliatory assault on Gaza has decimated the coastal territory, killing more than 53,000, according to health officials in Gaza, and displaced over 2 million Palestinians.

Gazan health officials have said most of those killed have been civilians but have not said how many militants have died. Israel believes it has killed tens of thousands of militants but has not provided any evidence to support those claims.

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir on May 26 said Hamas had lost many assets, including its command and control centre.

Sinwar was elevated to the top ranks of the Palestinian militant group last year after Israel killed his brother Yahya in combat.

Yahya Sinwar masterminded the October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war, now in its 20th month, and was later named the overall leader of the group after Israel killed his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.

Reuters