Israeli

Mohammed Odeh, a top commander of Hamas’s military wing, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, May 26. His death comes only weeks after his predecessor was killed in a similar targeted operation.

According to local medical officials and eyewitnesses, at least three Palestinians were killed and dozens more injured in the strike. The attack hit a residential building located in one of Gaza City’s most crowded market districts, an area bustling with shoppers preparing for the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday.

The Israeli military and the Shin Bet security agency confirmed the operation, stating that the building where Odeh was hiding was targeted after months of intelligence tracking his movements. While Hamas has not yet released a formal statement, a Hamas source and relatives confirmed that Odeh and his wife were killed, and their adult son later succumbed to his injuries.

Despite a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas last October, violence in Gaza has persisted almost daily. The recent strike devastated the top three floors of the al-Kayali Building in central Gaza City. Emergency responders rushed to the scene but faced significant challenges reaching the upper levels due to the extent of the structural damage and the heavy congestion in the surrounding market area.

Witnesses described a coordinated assault, reporting that at least five missiles struck the building almost simultaneously from multiple directions. One resident noted hearing the sound of a helicopter hovering overhead just moments before the explosions. Video footage from the site showed civil defense teams and ambulances navigating the wreckage as large crowds gathered nearby.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified Odeh as “one of the masterminds behind the October 7 massacre.” The statement further alleged that Odeh was responsible for the killing, kidnapping, and injury of numerous Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.

Odeh had recently taken over the leadership position from Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, the previous military wing commander who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in early May. That earlier operation also targeted a residential building and resulted in at least three fatalities.

A joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet explained: “As part of a joint IDF and Shin Bet operation to eliminate the terrorist Mohammed Odeh, several buildings in the heart of Gaza City where he was hiding were attacked, following months of intelligence surveillance to track his movements and the movements of his associates within the organization.” The military added that they also targeted a nearby apartment belonging to a Hamas operative involved in the October 7 attacks who was part of Odeh’s inner circle.

A Hamas source confirmed to the BBC on Tuesday that Odeh and his wife had died. Relatives added that Odeh’s son died from his injuries in the hospital on Wednesday morning, with funeral services scheduled to take place after midday prayers at a mosque in Gaza City.

Israel continues Gaza strikes

Israel has maintained a pattern of regular strikes across the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire officially began on October 10. Hamas has repeatedly accused Israel of violating the terms of the truce and targeting civilian infrastructure. The Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that more than 900 people have been killed by Israeli strikes during the ceasefire period.

Conversely, the Israeli government maintains it has the authority to target Hamas members and has accused the group of violating the ceasefire by failing to disarm. Broader phases of a U.S.-led peace plan for Gaza have stalled, particularly since the U.S. and Israel began military engagements with Iran in February.

The U.S. had announced the start of the second phase of that plan in January, which envisioned a technocratic interim government taking over Gaza’s administration, alongside demilitarization and reconstruction efforts. However, talks regarding disarmament remain deadlocked, and Hamas has since reactivated its police force to reassert authority in several areas.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Wednesday that Israel remains committed to preventing Hamas from ruling Gaza “either civilly or militarily.” He also claimed that a “voluntary emigration plan from Gaza” would be implemented “at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will “continue to hunt down anyone involved in the October 7 massacre,” adding that “sooner or later, Israel will reach them all.”

The October 7 attacks led by Hamas resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the taking of 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent large-scale military operation has devastated much of the Palestinian territory and displaced the vast majority of its 2.1 million residents. According to the Gaza health ministry—whose figures are considered reliable by the UN—Israeli forces have killed more than 72,800 people in Gaza.

The latest escalation in Gaza follows a strike in Lebanon that killed 31 people, occurring as Netanyahu pledged to intensify military action against the Hezbollah armed group. The Israeli military stated those strikes targeted Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure.

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