IDF says it killed 3 Hamas operatives in Gaza over weekend, including two Oct. 7 terrorists

Two Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel during the October 7, 2023, onslaught and another member of the terror group’s elite Nukhba Force were killed in recent strikes in the Gaza Strip, the military and Shin Bet security agency announced Sunday. A strike on Saturday killed Yahya Hamdouna, identified by the IDF and Shin Bet as a member of Hamas who invaded Israel on October 7. The military and security agency said a separate strike over the weekend killed Mohammad Rafa’i, a member of Hamas’s Daraj-Tuffah Battalion who invaded Israel on October 7, and Basir al-Barsh, a Nukhba commander. The three terrorists had been advancing attacks on troops and Israeli civilians, and acting to restore Hamas’s capabilities, “in systematic violation of the ceasefire,” the joint statement said, adding that they were killed “to remove the threat.” Meanwhile, COGAT, the Israeli body responsible for coordinating activity in the West Bank and Gaza, denied that it was to blame for the lack of shelter materials in the Strip. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms “COGAT regularly facilitates and encourages the entry of shelter supplies into the Gaza Strip in coordination with international organizations,” it said in a statement. “In the past month alone, more than 20,000 new tents have entered the Gaza Strip as part of ongoing efforts to replenish and maintain shelter stocks.” However, the Defense Ministry body said that there were “genuine security concerns that Hamas could exploit certain components used to construct shelters to rebuild its terrorist infrastructure and strengthen its capabilities, as it has done in the past with resources intended for the civilian population.” Therefore, COGAT said, it works with aid organizations “to identify suitable alternatives and establish appropriate monitoring and oversight measures. Advertisement “Claims that Israeli policy is the primary obstacle to improving conditions in the Gaza Strip are not only factually inaccurate, but also divert attention from Hamas’s continued role in obstructing progress and exploiting humanitarian aid for its own political and military purposes.” After a building collapsed last week in Gaza City, killing more than 20 people, some in the Strip alleged that a lack of heavy machinery had hampered efforts to rescue people. Earlier strikes On Saturday, the IDF said that a Hamas commander who invaded Israel during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, onslaught was killed in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip last week. The Thursday strike in Khan Younis killed Mohammed Suleiman Byouk, a commander in Hamas’s military wing, according to the IDF. The military said Byouk invaded Israel during Hamas’s October 7 attacks and had since been involved in planting bombs targeting Israeli troops. Byouk had also been advancing attacks against troops and Israeli civilians and working to restore Hamas’s capabilities. Advertisement ????ELIMINATED: Muhammad Suleiman Byouk, a commander in Hamas’ military wing. The terrorist infiltrated Israel during the October 7 Massacre. He operated to plant explosive devices across Gaza in order to harm IDF troops. Additionally, he planned & advanced terror attacks against… pic.twitter.com/PGpdNbsuUR — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 19, 2026 Separately, Palestinian media reported that at least five people, including a girl, were killed in Israeli strikes in northern and central Gaza on Saturday. In the northern Jabalia refugee camp, a young man who was killed was identified as Basir al-Bursh, the son of Munir al-Bursh, director-general of the Strip’s Hamas-run health ministry. Footage from Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital showed the elder al-Bursh mourning over his son’s body. Another man was reportedly killed in Gaza City’s eastern Shejaiya neighborhood, with his body taken to the city’s Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital. Farther south, a girl was fatally wounded in an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to a statement cited by Arabic media from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah. Later Saturday, Palestinian media reported that two more people were killed and several others wounded in an Israeli strike on a vehicle in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. Help us report truthfully on social media As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos. This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. 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Sign in to stop seeing this Most Popular 1 Analysis As Iran and Houthis tighten the screws on Saudi Arabia, a potential role emerges for Israel 2 ‘We’re not running’: Jewish students lead rally outside Mamdani residence 3 From ‘Fauda’ to ‘Checkout,’ Israeli spy stories face a changed global audience after Oct. 7 4 Iran’s military command says it’s been informed US plans to resume strikes 5 Interview Jewish geneticist finds mutation behind sudden deaths that haunted her family for decades 6 Netanyahu under fire after report he was repeatedly warned Qatar was funding Hamas military wing 7 Ed Sheeran says Gaza situation ‘unjustifiable’ amid ongoing outcry over Macklemore’s ouster 8 Father of six shot dead in West Bank terror attack near natural spring, IDF catches shooter read more: Israel & the Region IDF Israel Defense Forces Gaza Strip 2023-2025 Israel-Hamas war Israeli strikes on Gaza If you’d like to comment, join The Times of Israel Community. 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