Jerusalem, Oct 3: The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Thursday reported the killing of three high-ranking leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, including Rawhi Mushtaha, who served as the head of the Hamas government in Gaza.
The IDF stated that the operation took place at an underground compound in northern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of Mushtaha, Sameh Siraj, and Sameh Oudeh.
According to the Israeli military, the three commanders were hiding in a heavily fortified underground facility that also functioned as their command and control center. The IDF carried out the strike using fighter jets, targeting the location where the leaders were concealed.
“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 Oudeh, Commander of Hamas’ General Security Mechanism. The compound allowed senior operatives to remain hidden for long periods,” the IDF stated on X.
The military reaffirmed its determination to track down all individuals responsible for the October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people and ignited ongoing conflict in the region.
Mushtaha was known to be a close associate of Yahya Sinwar, a key Hamas leader involved in planning the deadly October 7 assault. This operation comes on the heels of a previous strike in Beirut, Lebanon, where Israel killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, delivering a significant blow to the Iran-backed group.
The Middle East has been facing a severe security crisis since Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel, which has led to more than 41,000 deaths in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict.
