Israeli Strikes Kill Hamas Commanders, Dismantle Weapons Sites in Gaza
The IDF and Shin Bet reported killing seven militants in three days and destroying two storage depots, while stating troops remained deployed under the ceasefire.
By Elena Menon ·
Seven Hamas militants died in Israeli strikes across three days this week, and two weapons storage sites were destroyed, the IDF and Shin Bet said in statements issued Friday. The strikes spanned Nuseirat, Al-Bureij, Gaza City, Khan Yunis and Rafah.
Ihab Jamil Abu Taqiya, a squad commander in Hamas's military wing, was killed in a Thursday airstrike in the Nuseirat area. The IDF said he had been involved in holding 12 hostages early in the war, individuals later released or whose bodies were returned to Israel. Former hostages Noa Argamani, Emily Hand and Ohad Ben Ami were among those held during their captivity. Ibrahim Gihad Muhammad Abu Oshaiba, a platoon commander, also died in the strike. The military said the two had advanced attacks against troops and civilians in recent weeks and worked to restore Hamas's military capabilities, describing those efforts as systematic violations of the ceasefire. The IDF said measures were taken to reduce harm to civilians before the strike.
Thursday night strikes in the Al-Bureij area and Gaza City hit two storage facilities used by Hamas's military wing, the IDF and Shin Bet said. The facilities held dozens of items including RPG launchers, explosive devices, rockets, Kalashnikov rifles, grenades and ammunition magazines. Advance warnings were issued to civilians, and precision munitions and aerial surveillance were used to lower the risk of civilian casualties, the military said.
Two strikes on Wednesday in the southern Gaza Strip killed four more militants. Muhammad Alian Biyuk, identified as a Nukhba operative, died in the Khan Yunis strike. A Rafah strike killed Al-Hamam Jaber Al-Sayed Abu Labda, described as a commander, along with Mahmoud Abu Naama and Muhammad Hamad Shreiki Sultan. The IDF said these strikes used precision munitions and aerial surveillance to reduce risk to civilians.
The IDF said troops under Southern Command remained deployed in Gaza in line with the ceasefire agreement and would continue operating against immediate threats.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
