IDF Eliminates Hamas Northern Gaza Brigade Commander in Airstrike

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) eliminated Izz ad-Din Biha, the commander of Hamas's northern Gaza brigade, in an airstrike on the night of September 29. Biha had survived an assassination attempt four months prior, during which the deputy commander of the Gaza City brigade, Imad Islam, was killed. Palestinian sources reported that the strike targeted Biha's home in Gaza City, with a drone likely used for the operation. Biha, born in 1981, joined Hamas in his youth and trained at a Jabalia camp before being integrated into the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, in 2000.

Palestinian sources were the first to report Biha's death, followed shortly by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, who confirmed the elimination of a "high-ranking terrorist" on their orders, even before an official IDF statement. "We commend the IDF and Shin Bet for their determined actions against Hamas commanders and terrorists. We will continue to hunt down and pursue all of the organization's terrorists, from its commanders to its last operative, wherever they may hide, until Hamas is eliminated from Gaza," the politicians stated.

The IDF has been conducting near-daily targeted killings of Hamas commanders and operatives involved in the October 7th events and working to restore the organization's capabilities. Recent eliminations include Hamas financier Muhammad Abu-Aluan and Rafah brigade commander Nail Abu-Abid, who replaced Muhammad Shabana. Shabana himself was eliminated along with the former head of Hamas's military wing, Muhammad Sinwar, in May of last year.