IDF eliminates terrorist who captured Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eliya Cohen, Alon Ohel and Or Levy

Ramadan had “advanced attack plans against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians” during the conflict.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The Israel Defense Forces said it killed Yousef Ayesh Awad Ramadan, a Hamas Nukhba cell commander who participated in the October 7 kidnapping of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, as well as Eliya Cohen, Alon Ohel and Or Levy from a bomb shelter at the Re’im Junction.

Ramadan was involved in the abduction of the four hostages after they had taken refuge in the shelter during the Hamas-led attack.

Footage that later circulated from the scene showed Hersh Goldberg-Polin being loaded into the back of a truck after a grenade blast had severed his arm while he was hiding in the shelter.

The IDF said Ramadan continued to play an operational role throughout the war and was involved in planning attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.

According to the military, Ramadan had “advanced attack plans against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians” during the conflict and in recent weeks and was considered a threat to Israeli troops operating in Gaza.

The military said the strike was carried out after intelligence indicated an immediate threat posed by Hamas terrorists in the area.

According to the statement, before the operation, the two Hamas terrorists attempted to carry out attacks against Israeli troops operating nearby, prompting what the military described as precision strikes.

“Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance,” the IDF said.

The announcement drew a response from Alon Ohel, one of the hostages abducted from the Re’im Junction shelter and later released in October 2025 as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Ohel addressed the operation in a post on Instagram and called on the military to continue operations against Hamas. He urged the IDF to continue “until the last terrorist.”