Gaza Genocide · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Israel Kills Hamas Rafah Brigade Commander Nael Abu Obeid in Southern Gaza Airstrike
Israel killed Nael Abu Obeid, commander of Hamas' Rafah Brigade, in southern Gaza airstrike. Israeli officials confirm strike targeted Rafah Brigade chief; Abu Obeid succeeded Shabana.
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Rafah commander killed
Israel killed Nael Abu Obeid, the commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade, in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip, with Palestinian sources and Israeli officials confirming the death.
“Israel has killed the commander of the Rafah Brigade”
A joint statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strike followed the killing earlier this week of the Khan Younis Brigade commander Muhammad Abd al-Salam al-Yazouri alongside other senior Hamas officials.
The TRT World report said Abu Obeid had assumed command of the Rafah Brigade during the Israeli genocidal war, succeeding former commander Muhammad Shabana, who was killed in another Israeli strike in May 2025.
The Times of Israel also said the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed the killing in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip this evening, describing Abu Obeid as a “central figure” heading both the Rafah Brigade and Hamas’s operations division.
In the same account, the IDF said Abu Obeid took over after Muhammad Shabana was killed on May 13, 2025, in a strike that also killed Hamas leader Mohammad Sinwar.
Netanyahu and Katz response
Netanyahu and Katz framed the strike as part of a broader message to Hamas, declaring that Israel’s message is that Hamas "will not remain in the Gaza Strip."
In a separate statement, Katz hailed the "success of the operation," affirming that his policy alongside Netanyahu remains uncompromising.
TRT World said the strike represents the fourth targeted assassination carried out by the Israeli military in the past week against senior Palestinian figures, including the killing of Khan Younis chief al-Yazouri on Friday and a Jabalia battalion commander several days earlier.
The Times of Israel described Abu Obeid as heading the Rafah Brigade and Hamas’s operations division, and said the military and security agency say in a joint statement that he worked to rebuild Hamas’s capabilities and advance attacks on Israel.
The Times of Israel also reported that Abu Obeid took over following the May 13, 2025 killing of Muhammad Shabana, which it said also killed Hamas leader Mohammad Sinwar.
Ceasefire toll and next moves
The TRT World report tied the escalation to truce breaches, saying Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement have killed 1,372 Palestinians and wounded 4,659 others.
“have killed 1,372 Palestinians and wounded 4,659 others”
It added that since October 8, 2023, Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, injured over 174,000 others, and destroyed approximately 90 percent of the enclave's infrastructure.
The Times of Israel said the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed the killing and described Abu Obeid as a “central figure” in Hamas, heading both the Rafah Brigade and the terror group’s operations division.
In the same reporting, the IDF said Abu Obeid took over the role of Rafah Brigade commander following the killing of Muhammad Shabana on May 13, 2025, and that the strike also killed Hamas leader Mohammad Sinwar.
Together, the accounts depict a campaign of targeted strikes against senior Hamas figures, with the stated aim of removing threats and advancing attacks on Israel.