Top Hamas Commander in Northern Gaza Eliminated in Israeli Strike

Hamas's commander for the northern Gaza Strip, Ezzedine al-Bih, has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. Al-Bih assumed command of the brigade after the November 2023 death of his predecessor, Ahmed Ghandour, and was considered one of the most senior operational figures remaining in the northern part of the territory.

According to a joint statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, al-Bih was involved in planning terrorist attacks against Israeli forces and recruiting operatives for Hamas. They praised the IDF and Shin Bet for their determined actions and vowed to continue pursuing all Hamas members.

Sources within Hamas, as reported by Al Jazeera, indicated that al-Bih, born in 1981, joined the military wing in 2000. He held various positions, including commanding the first special unit of the brigade, leading the "Emad Aqel Battalion" for about a decade, and serving as the brigade's intelligence officer, where he focused on information gathering and operational planning. Hamas sources also claimed al-Bih was involved in formulating intelligence and operational plans for the October 7th attack, a claim not officially confirmed by Israel.

Al-Bih reportedly survived four previous assassination attempts, both before and during the current conflict. In one incident during the war in the Jabalia refugee camp, an associate was killed while al-Bih escaped. In another attempt in May, a building where al-Bih was believed to be with another senior Hamas figure, Imad Salim, was targeted. Salim was killed, but reports on al-Bih's status were conflicting at the time.

The northern Gaza brigade is described as one of Hamas's largest and most significant, due to its proximity to Israeli border communities and the densely populated areas of Jabalia and Beit Hanoun. The IDF has been focused on dismantling the brigade's infrastructure and leadership to degrade Hamas's rocket capabilities and prevent the rebuilding of its terrorist battalions in the area.

Recent Israeli operations have included targeted strikes against Hamas operatives involved in rebuilding the organization's capabilities. This includes the elimination of money exchanger Shadi Abu Hatreh, who allegedly transferred tens of millions of shekels to Hamas's military wing, and sniper Adi Adli Abd Ala'azar. Other recent strikes mentioned include Mohammad Hamad Mohammad Gabayin, accused of holding nine Israeli hostages, and Sahar Nadal Latifi Zakkar, who allegedly participated in the October 7th massacre and drove the motorcycle used to abduct Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or.