Highlights:
- Israel says its forces killed Abu Obeida, Hamas’s main spokesman, in Gaza City.
- The strike targeted a building in the al-Rimal neighborhood, where civilians were also killed.
- Hamas has not yet confirmed his death.
- The attack comes before Israel’s planned ground offensive in Gaza.
- Over 63,000 Palestinians have died since the war began.
Israel Claims Death of Abu Obeida
Israel announced on Saturday that Abu Obeida, the well-known spokesman of Hamas’s armed wing, was killed in an airstrike on Gaza City. He was a senior member of the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades and a key figure in Hamas’s media and propaganda efforts.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz praised the operation, calling it a “flawless execution” carried out by the military and the Shin Bet security agency.
Hamas, however, has not confirmed the death of Abu Obeida.
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The Airstrike on Al-Rimal
The attack took place in Gaza City’s al-Rimal neighbourhood. Local sources reported that at least seven people were killed and 20 injured, including children. Hamas accused Israel of targeting a residential building, while witnesses described terrifying scenes of destruction and chaos.
One local man, Mohammed Emad, who owns a barbershop near the building, said:
“The blasts were terrifying – I couldn’t move for more than an hour. I can’t believe I’m still alive. I saw injured children with blood on their faces, and people running in every direction as if the world had ended.”
How the Operation Was Carried Out
According to the Israeli military, the strike was made possible by intelligence gathered earlier. The IDF and Shin Bet said five missiles hit the second and third floors of a six-storey building from two directions at the same time.
The flat that was destroyed had been used as a dentist’s office. After the blast, witnesses reported seeing large amounts of money scattered in the air. Some locals took the cash, but Hamas later recovered it.
Israel said the attack was carefully planned to reduce harm to civilians, using precision weapons and intelligence. However, BBC News has not been able to verify either Israel’s or Hamas’s claims.
Who Was Abu Obeida?
Abu Obeida, believed to be around 40 years old, was one of the last senior leaders of Hamas’s military wing who survived since the group’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.
He always appeared wearing a scarf over his face and became a symbolic figure for Hamas supporters across the Middle East. Over the years, he gave long speeches full of threats against Israel.
In his most recent speech, a day before the strike, Obeida warned that Israeli hostages in Gaza would face the same fate as Hamas fighters if Israel went ahead with its invasion of Gaza City.
The Wider Conflict in Gaza
The killing of Abu Obeida comes as Israel prepares a ground offensive to seize control of Gaza City. Israel has said it will evacuate the entire population before troops enter, but most of Gaza’s residents have already been displaced many times.
More than 90% of Gaza City’s homes have been damaged or destroyed. Health, water, and sanitation systems are collapsing. The UN has warned that a full military takeover could lead to “catastrophic consequences” for civilians and Israeli hostages.
Israel launched its military campaign after the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel, where about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. Since then, over 63,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Despite international criticism, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is defeated.
Source: TBS
