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| Gaza/photo/ EPA |
Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas's military faction, has reportedly been killed in an airstrike in Gaza City. Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, praised the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the security agency Shin Bet for their "flawless execution" through a message posted on X.
While he did not provide specifics regarding the timing or location of the operation, the IDF had previously said that its aircraft targeted "a key terrorist" in the al-Rimal neighborhood on Saturday, leading to Israeli media reports suggesting that Obeida was the intended target.
Hamas has yet to confirm his death. The Palestinian militant group previously claimed that numerous civilians were killed and injured due to Israeli strikes on a residential building in the area.Katz cautioned on Sunday that a significant number of Obeida's "criminal associates" would be targeted with "the escalation of the campaign in Gaza" - referring to a newly sanctioned Israeli initiative to take control of Gaza City.
In a separate update, the IDF and Shin Bet provided further insights regarding the strikes on Saturday that aimed at the Hamas spokesperson.
They stated in a collaborative announcement that the operation was "facilitated by prior intelligence collected by [Shin Bet] and the IDF's Intelligence Directorate" which pinpointed his location.
Obeida was one of the last senior figures of Hamas's military faction from before its lethal attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.
Five missiles simultaneously hit the second and third floors of a six-storey building in the al-Rimal neighborhood from two distinct angles.
The apartment that was struck had previously functioned as a dental clinic. Eyewitnesses reported seeing large amounts of cash swirling in the air post-strike, with significant sums taken by locals but later retrieved by Hamas.
The joint statement indicated that Obeida "acted as the public representative of the Hamas terrorist group" and "spread Hamas' propaganda".
In recent years, Obeida - estimated to be around 40 years old - delivered numerous lengthy tirades against Israel on behalf of Hamas's military branch, the al-Qassam Brigades always concealed by a Palestinian scarf, he became a symbol for Hamas supporters across the Middle East.In what could have been his last address on Friday, Obeida warned that the fate of the remaining Israeli hostages would mirror that of Hamas fighters, cautioning Israel against its intended invasion of Gaza City.