IDF and Shin Bet Kill Militants Tied to October 7 Kidnapping
In a joint operation, the IDF and Shin Bet carried out airstrikes in southern Gaza on Friday and killed Zaki Youssef Mahmoud Abu Mustafa, the commander of the Khan Younis Battalion's Nukhba forces in Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The military said Abu Mustafa took part in the October 7 assault on Kibbutz Nir Oz and was directly involved in the abduction of teenager Yagil Yaakov, with troops finding footage showing him during the kidnapping.
According to Israel's security services, Abu Mustafa had recently been working to rebuild the group's capabilities in the Strip despite the ceasefire arrangement. The IDF said he promoted terror plots against Israeli forces and tried to train militants inside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, using the medical site as human cover. He was identified as an immediate threat and killed in a precise strike.
In a separate strike in southern Gaza, Israeli forces also killed Muhammad Osama Abd al-Aziz Saba al-Aish, a Nukhba fighter in Hamas. The IDF said he organized training and instruction for Hamas operatives and worked to recruit new members.
The military said Southern Command forces remain deployed in the area in line with the agreements and will continue focused operations to remove any immediate threat.
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.