Israeli strike kills Hamas-linked militant involved in Yagil Yaakov kidnapping
The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet said they struck southern Gaza on Friday and killed Zakhi Yusuf Mahmoud Abu Mustafa, a Nukhba commander in Hamas’s Khan Younis brigade affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad. He had taken part in the October 7 assault on Kibbutz Nir Oz and in the kidnapping of Yagil Yaakov, according to the military.
The IDF said it has an image showing Abu Mustafa inside Israel during Yaakov’s abduction from Nir Oz on October 7. In recent weeks, he reportedly worked to rebuild the group’s capabilities in Gaza, in violation of the ceasefire agreement.
According to the statement, Abu Mustafa also promoted multiple terror plots against IDF forces and tried to hold training sessions inside Nasser Hospital so militants would not be targeted while operating there. The military said he posed an immediate threat to Israeli troops in the area and was killed in a precise strike.
In a separate strike, the IDF said it killed Muhammad Osama Abd al-Aziz Saba al-Eish, a Hamas Nukhba operative who had tried to advance training for the group and recruit additional militants.
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