Hamas Commander Killed in Rafah Linked to Major Terror Attacks

Nael Abu Abeid, a Hamas commander in Rafah who was killed yesterday, was responsible for three major terror attacks against the IDF in the early 2000s, according to a statement from Hamas's military wing. These attacks resulted in the deaths of six Israeli soldiers.

The first attack occurred on December 17, 2003, when a tunnel bomb containing half a ton of explosives was detonated under the Hardon outpost in Rafah. No soldiers were harmed in this incident.

The second attack took place on June 27, 2004, targeting the Ohran outpost near the Gush Katif junction. A half-kilometer-long tunnel was dug beneath the outpost, and its explosion killed Sergeant Major Roi Nissim of the Givati Brigade and wounded five other soldiers. This attack was a joint operation by Hamas and Fatah.

The third attack, on December 12, 2004, involved the detonation of a massive 1.5-ton bomb placed under the JVT outpost near the Rafah crossing. Following the explosion, militants breached the outpost, leading to a firefight. Five IDF soldiers were killed in this attack: Sergeant Said Jahja, Sergeant Adham Shahada, Sergeant Aref Azbarga, Sergeant Tareq Alziyadna, and Sergeant Hussein Abu-lil. Hamas and Fatah also claimed responsibility for this attack.

The report notes that Abu Abeid was respected even among Fatah operatives, indicating a connection between Hamas and Fatah prior to Hamas's takeover of the Gaza Strip.