Israel Strikes Hundreds of Hamas Operatives During Ceasefire
The Israeli military and Shin Bet have eliminated approximately 550 Palestinian militants in Gaza since the October 2025 ceasefire began, with 30 killed in the last month alone. The military emphasized that the ceasefire has not altered its policy of targeted assassinations, which was established after the October 7th Hamas attacks. The focus is on militants who participated in the October 7th massacre or are currently working to rebuild the capabilities of Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza.
These operations are supported by intelligence gathered by the Shin Bet and the IDF's Intelligence Directorate (Aman) through a special unit called "NILI." This team collects information on militants, monitors their activities, and identifies opportunities for strikes. "The Air Force keeps squadrons and aircraft on standby. The moment the NILI team closes the circle and identifies a potential for an elimination, the Air Force immediately carries out its operations, coordinating the munitions and aircraft for the strike," a military source told Maariv. The source added that most of the work is completed before an aircraft is dispatched, involving extensive intelligence gathering to determine the optimal time and method for the strike.
Recent strikes include five militants killed in Gaza in the past few days, some of whom participated in the October 7th attack. Among them was Hussam Osama Hussein Nazir, a Hamas military wing operative killed in an airstrike near Deir al-Balah, who was allegedly planning terror attacks against Israeli forces and civilians. In Khan Younis, Yasser Abu Al-Heir and Mohammed Al-Adin, two Hamas Nukhba operatives involved in planning terror attacks and rebuilding the organization's capabilities, were eliminated. In Jabalia, Abd al-Fattah Abu al-Eish, a Nukhba commander who infiltrated Israel on October 7th, and another Hamas military wing operative, Raed Adel Muhammad Alian, were killed. The IDF reiterated that strikes target militants posing a threat, including October 7th participants and those involved in restoring terror group capabilities, with the Air Force prepared to strike once intelligence confirms the opportunity.
