Israel eliminated a top Hamas commander on Wednesday the IDF said was involved in the October 7 massacre that killed two civilians in southern Israel.
The commander, who has yet to be named, was reportedly at the helm of “terror operations” and was also connected to the terror group’s extensive tunnel network.
The Israeli military said it had located the commander in the Gaza Strip and conducted an overnight operation to take him out. In its statement, the IDF said it had acted in accordance with international law and stands by its commitment to “rooting out terrorists and their activities of harming Israelis”.
The October 7 incident was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on Israel in years, leaving two civilians dead and several more injured. The attack was reportedly orchestrated by Hamas and carried out by two militants using an anti-tank missile.
The incident has since been dubbed the “October Massacre” and has sparked a wave of retaliatory strikes and counter-attack efforts by Israel in the region.
The terrorist commander was reportedly one of the masterminds behind the attack, and was a major force in Hamas’ militant operations. According to the IDF, the commander had a “long record” of engaging in terror activities and was part of a network of operatives who helped facilitate the October massacre.
The successful elimination of the commander is seen as an important achievement in Israel’s fight against terrorism. It sends a clear message to those who seek to harm innocent civilians that such acts will not be tolerated and will be met with a swift and severe response.
The IDF said that it will continue to take action to protect Israelis from all threats. It further noted that it is working closely with the government of Israel to ensure that its enemies are removed from the battlefield.
The elimination of the commander is the latest in a series of successful targeted killings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives by the IDF in Gaza in recent weeks. These operations are part of a larger plan to weed out terrorists and their activities and to maintain the security of Israel and its citizens.