Hamas Rafah Brigade commander and operations chief Nael Abu Obeid, eliminated in an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza. (IDF)
“No terrorist is immune, and Hamas will no longer exist in Gaza,” Netanyahu said.
By World Israel News Staff
The IDF and Shin Bet eliminated one of Hamas’s most senior military commanders in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday evening, Israeli security forces confirmed.
Nael Abu Obeid served simultaneously as commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade and head of operations in the terror group’s military wing, the IDF and Shin Bet said.
Abu Obeid was appointed Rafah Brigade commander following the elimination of his predecessor, Muhammad Shabana. He previously served as the brigade’s deputy commander and commanded both its Tel al-Sultan and Yabna battalions.
The IDF described Abu Obeid as a key figure among Hamas’s senior leadership.
In his position, Abu Obeid oversaw and directed Rafah Brigade terrorists in planning and carrying out attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians.
He was also working to rebuild the brigade’s military capabilities after it suffered devastating losses throughout the war, according to the IDF.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the elimination demonstrated Israel’s policy of targeting terrorists while seeking to avoid harm to civilians.
“The policy that the prime minister and I are leading, and that the IDF is implementing in the most professional and appropriate manner, is clear: We eliminate terrorists and remove threats, and we do not attack civilians and uninvolved people,” Katz said.
Katz contrasted the operation with allegations made in NAZA, an Israeli documentary accusing the IDF of deliberately killing Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
“This is in contrast to the blood libel spread by the creators of the film NAZA against our heroic soldiers,” Katz said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also hailed the elimination.
“No terrorist is immune, and Hamas will no longer exist in Gaza,” Netanyahu said.
The IDF said Southern Command forces remain deployed in accordance with the existing agreement and will continue operating to eliminate any immediate threats.
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