Hamas commander who abducted, held Israeli hostages on Oct. 7 killed in Gaza

Mushtaha participated in holding numerous hostages, including Tsachi Idan, Corporal Noa Marciano, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Ori Megidish, Naama Levy and Matan Angrest.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The IDF confirmed that Hamas commander Muhammad Bassam Muhammad Mushtaha, who infiltrated Israel during the Oct. 7 massacre and was involved in holding multiple Israeli hostages, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza on July 30.

Mushtaha, a company commander in Hamas’s Al-Shati battalion, died after being targeted two weeks ago.

Palestinian media reported last week that he had succumbed to his wounds several days after the strike.

The IDF said Mushtaha participated in holding numerous hostages, including Tsachi Idan, Corporal Noa Marciano, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Ori Megidish, Naama Levy and Matan Angrerst.

In recent weeks, Mushtaha “attempted to advance terrorist plots against IDF forces and citizens of the State of Israel,” the military said.

The IDF said the strike was carried out to counter a current threat rather than as retaliation for Mushtaha’s previous actions.

The military maintained that the operation was therefore consistent with the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which allows Israel to respond to truce violations, including by thwarting planned attacks against troops.

The strike comes as the US continues efforts to advance a plan for Hamas to disarm.

President Donald Trump announced two weeks ago that the Board of Peace had reached an agreement with Hamas for the group to give up its weapons and transfer civilian and security control of Gaza to a new Palestinian technocratic government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected the Hamas disarmament plan Sunday.

Several days earlier, Netanyahu had spoken with Jared Kushner and promised to give the proposal a chance despite his skepticism, a US official said.

The prime minister also agreed to restrain attacks in Gaza to allow the demilitarization process to begin.

A senior US official said Washington viewed Netanyahu’s subsequent comments as election-season politics rather than necessarily a change in policy.

“We understand Bibi’s political needs. We have no problem with it as long as he continues to do what we ask — especially regarding restraining attacks in Gaza,” the U.S. official said.