Israel’s military says a series of strikes across the Gaza Strip has killed several Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad commanders, including Nael Abu Obeid, whom Israel identified as the commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade and a senior figure in the group’s military structure.
The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet said Abu Obeid was killed in a strike in southern Gaza on September 15, 2026. The announcement followed an earlier statement saying Israeli forces had targeted a senior Hamas figure and would release further details later.
Nael Abu Obeid Held Two Senior Hamas Roles, Israel Says
According to the IDF and Shin Bet, Abu Obeid commanded Hamas’s Rafah Brigade while also heading the operations division of the group’s military wing.
Israeli authorities described him as a central figure in Hamas’s senior leadership and accused him of directing brigade activities, working to rebuild Hamas’s military capabilities and advancing attacks against Israel.
The IDF said Abu Obeid had taken command of the Rafah Brigade after the death of his predecessor, Muhammad Shabana, who Israel says was killed in May 2025 in the same strike that killed senior Hamas leader Mohammad Sinwar.
Palestinian Reports Said Child Was Among Casualties
Palestinian media reports cited by The Times of Israel said two people, including an eight-year-old girl, were killed and 14 others were wounded in the southern Gaza strike that targeted the senior Hamas figure. Those casualty reports were not independently verified by the publication.
The competing accounts underline the continuing dispute surrounding Israeli strikes in Gaza, where Israel says it is targeting armed-group commanders while Palestinian sources continue to report civilian casualties.
Islamic Jihad Rocket Cell Commander Killed in Khan Younis
The Israeli military separately announced the killing of Mohsen Farid Said Abu Hadaf, whom it identified as the commander of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket cell.
According to the IDF, Abu Hadaf participated in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack by entering the Kissufim area. Israel also accused him of recently helping advance attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF personnel.
The strike that killed Abu Hadaf was carried out in Khan Younis in southern Gaza over the previous weekend, according to the military.
Israel said his recent activities violated the existing ceasefire and described the strike as necessary to remove what it considered an ongoing threat.
Jabaliya Battalion Commander Ahmad Batash Also Targeted
Another Israeli strike killed Ahmad Batash, whom the IDF identified as commander of Hamas’s Jabaliya Battalion within its Northern Gaza Brigade.
The military accused Batash of playing an important logistical role within the organization, including overseeing weapons and coordinating the distribution of military equipment to Hamas members.
Israel further alleged that Batash had recently been involved in planning attacks against Israeli troops and civilians while participating in attempts to restore Hamas’s military capabilities during the ceasefire.
Israel Says Batash Was Killed in Northern Gaza
Batash was reportedly killed when an Israeli strike hit a vehicle north of Gaza City.
Palestinian media also circulated material identifying Batash following the strike, according to The Times of Israel.
His death forms part of a broader Israeli campaign targeting Hamas commanders that Israel says have remained involved in military activity despite the ceasefire.
Two More Hamas Figures Killed in Separate Strikes
The IDF also announced strikes against Rafat Abu Zamar and Muhammad Khader Fahmi Aghour in separate areas of Gaza.
Abu Zamar was described by Israel as a company commander in Hamas’s operations headquarters. He was killed in Khan Younis.
According to the Israeli military, Abu Zamar helped lead training for Hamas operatives ahead of the October 7, 2023 attack and had continued training personnel and developing the organization’s combat capabilities more recently.
Weapons Producer Killed in Gaza City, IDF Says
A separate strike in Gaza City killed Muhammad Khader Fahmi Aghour.
Israel identified Aghour as a Hamas member involved in manufacturing weapons for the organization.
The IDF accused both Aghour and Abu Zamar of recently working to advance attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers while attempting to rebuild Hamas’s operational capabilities.
The military characterized those activities as systematic violations of the ceasefire.
Israel Intensifies Operations Against Gaza Command Structure
The latest announcements indicate that Israeli operations are focusing on multiple layers of Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s military structures, ranging from weapons production and training to battalion and brigade leadership.
The most senior figure announced killed in the latest series of strikes was Abu Obeid, whose responsibilities allegedly extended beyond Rafah to Hamas’s wider military operations structure.
The other targets were linked by Israel to specific operational functions, including rocket attacks, weapons distribution, weapons manufacturing and fighter training.
Israeli Claims Remain Central to Accounts of Commanders’ Activities
Many of the details concerning the roles and recent activities of those killed come from statements by the Israeli military and have not been independently verified.
Israel maintains that the targeted figures were actively attempting to rebuild armed capabilities and prepare attacks during the ceasefire. Palestinian reporting, meanwhile, has highlighted civilian casualties associated with some of the continuing Israeli strikes.
The latest operations show that despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces continue to carry out targeted strikes against individuals they identify as immediate threats or key figures in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s military networks.
