IDF Eliminates Hamas Northern Gaza Commander Who Survived Prior Assassination Attempt

Palestinian reports on Tuesday confirmed the Israeli military's elimination of Hamas's commander for northern Gaza, Azz al-Din Bik, in an apartment in Gaza City. Bik had previously survived an assassination attempt in May, during which the deputy commander of Hamas's Gaza City brigade, Imad Aslim, was killed.

Azz al-Din Bik al-Bik, born in 1981, joined Hamas early in his life and grew up in the Jabalia refugee camp. He joined the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, in 2000 alongside Souheil Ziada and Ahmed Randor, who served as the commander of the northern Gaza Strip brigade at the war's outset.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz preempted the IDF by announcing Bik's elimination shortly after the Palestinian reports. They stated that Bik was involved in planning terror attacks against Israeli forces and worked to recruit operatives for the organization. "We commend the IDF and the Shin Bet for their determined actions against Hamas commanders and operatives," they declared. "We will continue to hunt down and pursue all of the organization's operatives, from its commanders to its last operative, wherever they may hide, until Hamas is no more in Gaza."