IDF Confirms Airstrike on Senior Hamas Official in Gaza

The IDF stated that al-A'amouri was attacked from the air while inside a residential building in Gaza City that was used for terror activities. The results of the strike are still under review. According to the IDF, al-A'amouri was a close associate of Yahya Sinwar and was involved in decision-making for the October 7th massacre. The military described him as the highest-ranking Hamas figure in Gaza currently, involved in the organization's terror operations and its rebuilding efforts for future combat.

The IDF also noted al-A'amouri's past involvement in the murder of four Israelis in the West Bank in 1993 and an incident in 1994 where Shin Bet coordinator Noam-Menachem Cohen was killed during an operation in Ramallah. The military highlighted that Hamas's use of civilian residential buildings for its operatives demonstrates the organization's cynical use of human shields.

An Israeli source told Kan public broadcasting that al-A'amouri was in the targeted apartment and his chances of survival were slim. However, three Hamas sources in Gaza, cited by the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, cast doubt on his elimination. One source suggested he might have survived, while another believed he was likely not present at all. Reports from Gaza indicated five people were killed in the strike, including women.

Arab media reports indicated he was a candidate for the permanent position in upcoming secret elections.