ELIMINATED! Israel claims three Hamas terrorists involved in October 7 massacre killed in Gaza strikes

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday announced the deaths of three Hamas terrorists who had participated in the October 7 attacks on southern Israel, following recent airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. According to the military, the individuals killed were key operatives involved in the brutal massacre that claimed numerous civilian lives in Israeli communities near the Gaza border.

Also read: 'Don't test our will': Iran issues strong warning of retaliation if Israel attacks its infrastructure

In a joint statement with Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, the IDF confirmed that a series of airstrikes in late September and early October had neutralized Muhammad Rafai, Muhammad Zanun, and Bassel Akhars, all of whom were linked to the October 7 assaults.

Rafai, according to the military, was killed on September 30 in an airstrike targeting a Hamas command center embedded within a school in Gaza City. Rafai had participated in the massacres at Kfar Aza and Nahal Oz and was involved in numerous attacks against Israeli forces throughout the ongoing conflict.

Two days later, on October 1, IDF airstrikes targeted Rafah in southern Gaza, killing Zanun and Akhars. Both individuals, according to Israeli military sources, were involved in the October 7 attacks and had been active in various operations against Israeli troops during the war.

As Israel continues its military response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, the IDF reported that around 20 Hamas operatives were killed during a new ground operation in the northern Gaza Strip’s Jabaliya region.

Troops from the 162nd Division engaged in both airstrikes and close-quarters combat during the operation, successfully locating and destroying a Hamas weapons depot. The IDF stated that its forces are continuing to dismantle Hamas infrastructure in northern Gaza while also operating in the southern areas of Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor.

Additionally, in the central Gaza Strip, the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade launched a raid in the Bureij area, aiming to destroy Hamas infrastructure and eliminate gunmen who had fortified positions there. Over the past day, Israeli fighter jets and other aircraft reportedly struck 70 Hamas sites across the Gaza Strip.

Also read: ELIMINATED! Israel says head of Hezbollah's logistics unit Suhail Hussein Husseini killed in Beirut airstrikes

Despite its military successes, the IDF continues to suffer casualties. A soldier from the Bislamach Brigade’s 17th Battalion, Staff Sgt. Noam Israel Abdu, 20, was killed during fighting in northern Gaza, the IDF confirmed. Abdu, from Kadima-Zoran, was part of the ground offensive launched in response to the Hamas onslaught. Another soldier was seriously injured in the same incident. This brings the total number of Israeli soldiers killed in the ground offensive to 350.

In a separate incident, a reservist from the Alexandroni Brigade’s 7012th Battalion was also seriously injured during fighting in southern Lebanon, underscoring the ongoing threats Israel faces on multiple fronts as it contends with both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The killings of Rafai, Zanun, and Akhars mark a significant moment in Israel’s campaign to dismantle Hamas' operational capabilities following the unprecedented October 7 attacks. The IDF has vowed to continue its strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza while preparing for potential escalation in other areas, including Lebanon.

• 14th Reserve Armored Brigade
• 162nd Division
• Alexandroni Brigade
• Bassel Akhars
• Bislamach Brigade
• Bureij
• Gaza Strip
• Hamas
• Hamas infrastructure
• Hezbollah
• IDF
• Israel-Palestine war
• Israeli casualties
• Israeli fighter jets
• Jabaliya
• Kfar Aza
• Muhammad Rafai
• Muhammad Zanun
• Nahal Oz
• October 7 attacks
• Philadelphi Corridor
• Rafah
• Shin Bet
• Staff Sgt. Noam Israel Abdu
• airstrikes
• close-quarters combat
• ground offensive
• southern Lebanon
• weapons depot