Israel Says It Killed Hamas Military Chief in Gaza Airstrike

Israel confirmed on Wednesday that Mohammed Odeh, the commander of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, was killed in an airstrike north of the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials said Odeh was eliminated in a Tuesday attack in Gaza City. The Hamas movement has not immediately responded.

Mohammed Odeh, a former Hamas intelligence director, is believed to have succeeded Izz al-Din al-Haddad as leader of the Al-Qassam Brigades after al-Haddad was killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier this month. However, Hamas has not formally confirmed the appointment.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on social media platform X on Wednesday: “The fourth military commander of the Hamas terror organization in Gaza was eliminated yesterday and sent to hell to join his comrades.” Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israeli forces had targeted Odeh.

The Israeli military confirmed Odeh’s death, stating that the attack “came after months of intelligence surveillance to track Odeh and his fighters’ movements.” A source at Al-Shifa Hospital said six people were killed and 20 wounded in Israeli strikes on the Remal neighborhood, western Gaza City, Tuesday evening.

Al Jazeera reporter Hind Khoudary reported that there was “significant destruction” following the attack on the densely populated neighborhood. “At 9:30 p.m. last night (19:30 GMT), three large explosions occurred in Gaza City. The attack took place right in the center of Remal, a busy area of markets and shops. Muslims were shopping for the Eid holiday when the airstrike happened.”

The Israeli military claimed Odeh was responsible for “planning and coordinating infiltration attacks and the objectives of Hamas terrorist forces during the October 7 massacre,” referring to the 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel. The military added: “Odeh was one of the last senior Hamas military commanders involved in planning and executing the October 7 massacre and managing combat operations against IDF forces.”

In response to the October 7 attack, Israel launched a war against Palestinians in Gaza that has killed over 72,800 people. During the conflict, Israeli forces have eliminated several senior Hamas officials, including former political leader Ismail Haniyeh and Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar. Other commanders killed include Mohammed Deif, the longtime head of Hamas’s military wing, and Mohammed Sinwar, who succeeded his brother Yahya Sinwar.

Since the formal cease-fire went into effect on October 11, at least 906 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza; the total death toll since October 7, 2023, has now reached 72,803, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.