The Israeli military on Thursday announced that a strike conducted three months prior resulted in the deaths of three high-ranking Hamas officials in Gaza. This action is part of Israel’s ongoing military campaign against the Palestinian group, which has persisted for nearly a year.
Key Figures Targeted
The military identified the individuals killed in the strike as Rawhi Mushtaha, the head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip; Sameh al-Siraj, the security chief for Hamas’s political bureau; and Sami Oudeh, a prominent commander within the organization. According to the Israeli military, Mushtaha was a key figure in Hamas with influencing powers regarding the group’s military deployments. The statement referred to him as the “right-hand man” to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Approximately 3 months ago, in a joint IDF and ISA strike in Gaza, the following terrorists were eliminated:
🔴Rawhi Mushtaha, the Head of the Hamas government in Gaza
🔴Sameh al-Siraj, who held the security portfolio on Hamas’ political bureau and Hamas’ Labor Committee
🔴Sami… pic.twitter.com/6xpH6tOOot— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 3, 2024
Mushtaha’s notoriety extends beyond military strategy. In 2015, the U.S. State Department designated him as a “specially designated global terrorist.” Additionally, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) characterized Mushtaha as a member of Hamas’s Gaza politburo, overseeing its financial operations.
The military’s campaign against Hamas is reported to have inflicted considerable damage on the group, decimating its leadership and resulting in the deaths of thousands of its fighters. This offensive has left extensive areas of Gaza in ruins, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Israel-Hamas Conflict Brings Catastrophe
The conflict escalated dramatically following a Hamas attack on October 7, which led to the deaths of 1,205 individuals in Israel, primarily civilians. In retaliation, Israeli military operations have resulted in at least 41,788 fatalities in Gaza, the majority being civilians, as reported by the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory.
Meanwhile, Hamas media reported that Israel conducted an airstrike earlier on Thursday, resulting in the death of Abdel-Aziz Salha, a Hamas militant from the West Bank. Salha had been serving a life sentence for his involvement in the lynching of two Israeli reservists in Ramallah in 2000 but was released during a 2011 prisoner exchange. Medical sources indicated that Salha was killed in a strike that targeted a tent housing displaced Palestinians at Al-Aklouk School in Deir Al-Balah, located in central Gaza.
MUST READ: Israeli Strikes Kill Over 70 in Gaza: Palestinian Officials Report
