Top Hamas Commander in Northern Gaza Killed in Israeli Airstrike

The Israeli military and Shin Bet announced the elimination of Azz al-Din al-Bik, identified as the commander of Hamas's northern Gaza brigade, in an airstrike in Gaza City on Tuesday. Al-Bik assumed leadership of the brigade in November 2023, following the death of his predecessor, Ahmed Ghandour. He was considered one of the remaining senior operational figures in Hamas's military wing in the northern Strip.

According to a joint statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, al-Bik was involved in planning terrorist attacks against Israeli forces and recruiting operatives for Hamas. They praised the IDF and Shin Bet for their "determined action" and vowed to continue pursuing all Hamas operatives. The IDF stated that al-Bik was responsible for directing the brigade's operatives, advancing terrorist plots against Israeli forces and civilians, and attempting to rebuild the brigade's capabilities after sustaining heavy losses during the war.

Sources within Hamas, as reported by Al Jazeera, indicated that al-Bik, born in 1981, joined the military wing in 2000. He previously commanded the brigade's first special unit, led the "Imad Aqel Battalion" in western Jabalia for about a decade, and served as the brigade's intelligence officer. Hamas sources also attributed to him a key role in planning the October 7th attacks, though this has not been officially confirmed by Israel.

Al-Bik reportedly survived at least four previous assassination attempts, both before and during the current conflict. One attempt during the war in the Jabalia camp resulted in the death of one of his escorts. In May, an airstrike targeted a building in Gaza City where al-Bik was reportedly with another senior Hamas figure, Emad Salim, who was killed. Reports at the time were conflicting regarding al-Bik's status, with some suggesting he was injured or not present.

The northern Gaza brigade is considered one of Hamas's largest and most significant, due to its proximity to Israeli border communities and the dense population centers of Jabalia and Beit Hanoun. The IDF has focused efforts on dismantling its infrastructure and leadership to degrade its rocket capabilities and prevent the rebuilding of its battalions. The article also mentions recent Israeli strikes that eliminated other Hamas figures, including a key money changer and a sniper, as part of ongoing efforts to prevent the organization from restoring its military infrastructure.