The Israeli Air Force, in coordination with the Shin Bet security agency, eliminated two commanders of Hamas's military wing in separate airstrikes in the Gaza Strip last week, the Israeli Air Force said, ANI reported on October 26. In a post on X, the Air Force said it and Shin Bet 'attacked two days ago (Saturday) in the Gaza City area in the southern Gaza Strip and eliminated the terrorist Muhammad Khalawa, a commander in the military intelligence array of the military wing of the Hamas terror organisation', and in an additional strike last week (Thursday) killed Ahmed Zaher Fouad Abu-Udeh, an engineering commander in Hamas's military wing, ANI reported.
Source: ANI via LatestLY, Oct 26
The IDF and Shin Bet announced on Monday that they had eliminated two senior commanders from Hamas's military wing in separate operations in Gaza, News in Israel reported, naming Mohamad Khalawa, commander of Hamas's military intelligence array, and Ahmad Zahir Fouad Abu-Uda, an engineering commander — the same two men, with transliteration varying between reports. According to the military's statement, both commanders were working to advance attack plans against IDF forces and Israeli civilians and were engaged in efforts to rehabilitate Hamas capabilities in violation of the ceasefire agreement, the report said — the Israeli military's account, attributed as such.
Source: News in Israel, Oct 26
Ceasefire claims — and the wider toll, attributed
'Throughout the war and particularly in recent times, the terrorists advanced terror infrastructures against IDF forces and the citizens of the State of Israel and acted to restore the capabilities of the Hamas terror organisation, while systematically violating the ceasefire,' the Israeli Air Force said, according to ANI. It added the two men were targeted to remove the threats they posed, and that 'security forces are deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to act to remove any threat.' Separately, the IDF said its forces, with the Border Police and Shin Bet, operated in around 40 areas and 400 locations across Judea and Samaria over the weekend, arresting 40 suspects, including people the military said were affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, ANI reported.
Source: ANI via LatestLY, Oct 26
What is solid
- The Israeli Air Force and Shin Bet announced on Monday, October 26, that two named Hamas military-wing commanders were killed in strikes on Saturday and Thursday last week, ANI and Israeli media reported
- The IDF said 40 suspects were arrested in weekend operations across Judea and Samaria, in around 40 areas and 400 locations
What is only claimed
- Israel's claim that the two men were restoring Hamas capabilities and systematically violating the ceasefire — the Israeli military's allegation, not independently verified
- Gaza's health ministry figures for the wider war toll, reported by Democrata as 74,555 dead and 175,727 injured since October 2023 — Gaza authorities' figures, not independently verified
Gaza's health ministry has said Israeli attacks since the October 2023 offensive began have killed 74,555 people and injured 175,727 in the Strip, Democrata reported on Monday, citing the ministry — figures from the Gaza authorities that have not been independently verified. The Israeli military communicated the deaths of the two Hamas members on Monday in the same reporting, Democrata said. Neither side's claims about ceasefire violations could be independently verified from the reports.
Source: Democrata, Oct 26