Gaza: Hamas confirms Rafah Brigade commander killed in Israeli strike

Hamas confirmed Wednesday that Na’el Abu Obeid, the commander of its Rafah Brigade, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip the previous night.

The organization said Abu Obeid, also known as Abu Atiya, was killed in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. Hamas issued a statement mourning him as a commander in the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, its military wing, and called on supporters to attend his funeral.

The Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet security agency also confirmed Abu Obeid’s death, saying he had been targeted in an intelligence-led strike on Tuesday evening.

The Israeli military described him as a central figure in Hamas’s senior command who headed both the Rafah Brigade and the organization’s military operations division. The Times of Israel reported that the IDF accused him of directing attacks against Israeli civilians and troops while working to rebuild the brigade’s capabilities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the operation in a joint statement issued shortly after the strike.

“The IDF has just struck the commander of the Hamas terrorist organization’s Rafah Brigade, following the elimination earlier this week of the Khan Younis Brigade commander and other senior officials in the organization,” they said.

“Our message is clear: No terrorist is immune, and Hamas will not remain in Gaza.”

Netanyahu and Katz also commended the IDF and Shin Bet, saying the two agencies were “acting with determination to eliminate threats and protect the citizens of Israel.” Their statement was published by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.

Abu Obeid is the latest in a series of senior Hamas commanders killed in Israeli operations. Israel says the campaign is intended to prevent the organization from rebuilding its command structure and resuming attacks against Israeli troops and communities.