Five Hamas Members Killed in Israeli Gaza Operation, Including Qassam Brigades Commander

Jerusalem (Terror Monitor) — Five members of Hamas were killed during an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, including Ahmed al-Batsh, also known as Abu Osama, a commander in the group’s armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

The Israeli military said its forces, together with the Shin Bet internal security agency, have intensified counterterrorism operations across the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.

Al-Batsh was killed in an Israeli strike in the Al-Saftawi area of northern Gaza City, according to reports. Reuters reported that the Israeli military identified Al-Batsh and another Hamas commander, Rafat Zummar, among those targeted in recent strikes.

Al-Batsh was identified as a commander of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. Reports from Palestinian sources said he was killed when a vehicle was targeted in the northern Gaza City area.

Iranian news agency Fars, which is regarded as close to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also reported Al-Batsh’s death and identified him as one of the commanders of the Qassam Brigades.

The latest reports did not immediately provide detailed information about the other four Hamas members killed in the operation.

Israeli military operations in Gaza

The Israeli military and Shin Bet have continued operations against Hamas targets across Gaza despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that was intended to end large-scale fighting.

Israeli forces have said their operations are directed against Hamas members and military infrastructure. Hamas and Palestinian officials have repeatedly disputed Israel’s characterization of targets and have accused Israel of continuing attacks in violation of the ceasefire.

Recent Israeli strikes have also resulted in civilian casualties. Reuters reported that Israeli strikes in northern Gaza on September 15 killed at least three Palestinians, including a child and a patient at a healthcare facility. The Israeli military said it had targeted militants and identified two of them as Hamas commanders, including Al-Batsh.

The continued Israeli military activity comes amid broader uncertainty over the future of the Gaza ceasefire and efforts to establish longer-term security arrangements in the territory.

The reported killing of Al-Batsh represents another loss for Hamas’s military structure, which has faced repeated Israeli operations targeting commanders and operational networks since the beginning of the conflict.

The Qassam Brigades have not, in the latest available reports, issued a detailed public statement outlining Al-Batsh’s position within the organization or the circumstances of his death.