ISRAEL says it has killed one of the last masterminds behind the bloody October 7 attacks.
Senior Hamas commander Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa was “eliminated” in a targeted airstrike on Gaza City, according to the IDF.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, Al-Issa was a key figure in the military wing of Hamas and was targeted during an operation in the Sabra neighborhood.
“Issa led Hamas’ force build-up, training, and planned the October 7 massacre,” the IDF posted on X.
As Head of Combat Support, he advanced aerial & naval attacks against Israelis.
“The IDF & [Israel Security Agency] will continue to locate and eliminate all terrorists involved in the October 7 massacre.”
According to Palestinian reports, Al-Issa was killed along with his wife and grandson, though this has not been independently confirmed.
The IDF later said it had verified his death, according to The Jerusalem Post.
His involvement in the October 7 attack in southern Israel, which led to numerous casualties and kidnappings, is considered significant in escalating the ongoing conflict.
The military highlights him as a crucial individual with extensive knowledge, playing a vital role in the development of Hamas’ training and weapons initiatives.
The IDF said in a statement: “In the past, Issa led Hamas’ force-buildup efforts in the Gaza Strip, was one of the founders of its military wing, served as Head of the Training Headquarters, and was a member of Hamas’ General Security Council.
“Additionally, Issa played a significant role in the planning and execution of the brutal October 7 massacre.”
Security officials further claimed he co-founded the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades’ military academy.
There, he oversaw the training of thousands of fighters and helped shape the group’s technological capabilities.
He reportedly brought extensive combat experience from Iraq and Syria when he arrived in Gaza from Syria in 2005.
His killing comes just a week after the IDF and Shin Bet said they had eliminated Ali Saadi Wasfi al-Agha, a senior figure in the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement who was allegedly set to take over as its leader.
Israel has also ramped up strikes on the Kataib al-Mujahideen’s leadership — a smaller but reportedly highly lethal armed wing linked to the October 7 atrocities, including the abduction and murder of Israeli civilians and foreign workers.
The latest elimination of Al-Issa underscores Israel’s ongoing campaign to hunt down Hamas commanders it holds responsible for the massacre that set off months of relentless fighting in Gaza.
The IDF vowed its operations would continue until all those behind the attacks are “brought to justice.”
