Yahya Sinwar bodyguard among two Hamas terrorists killed in southern Gaza

The IDF and Shin Bet said they killed two members of Hamas' elite Nukhba unit in separate strikes in Khan Yunis earlier this week, including a man who served as the bodyguard of the terrorist group's former leader Yahya Sinwar. Hazem Mousa was killed in a strike on Sunday in the Khan Yunis area in southern Gaza, according to the IDF. The military said Mousa was a member of Hamas’ Nukhba force and had infiltrated the Re’im military base during the October 7, 2023, attack. In a separate strike on Monday, the IDF and Shin Bet killed Razek Sahil Suleiman Abu Shahma, also in the Khan Yunis area. Abu Shahma was described as a Nukhba terrorist who also took part in the infiltration of the Re’im base on October 7 and later served as a bodyguard for then-Hamas leader Sinwar. Sinwar was killed in a clash with Israeli troops in Rafah in southern Gaza in October 2024. According to the IDF, both men had recently continued planning attacks against Israeli troops and civilians and had also been involved in efforts to rebuild Hamas’ military capabilities. The military said the strikes were carried out after intelligence indicated the two posed an ongoing threat. It added that measures were taken beforehand to reduce the risk to civilians, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance.