IDF: Hamas Jabalia Battalion Commander Killed in Gaza Strike

The IDF Spokesperson said Tuesday evening that the IDF and Shin Bet carried out a strike overnight in northern Gaza and killed terrorist Ahmed Batash, the commander of the Jabalia Battalion in the Northern Gaza Brigade and a commander in Hamas’s military wing.

As part of his role, the terrorist managed and organized weapons for the Northern Gaza Brigade and was involved in coordinating and advancing the supply of weapons and military equipment to the organization’s operatives. The IDF said that recently, he had advanced terror attacks against IDF forces and Israeli civilians and worked to rebuild the organization’s capabilities, in systematic violation of the ceasefire. He was killed to remove the threat he posed.

The IDF Spokesperson stressed that “before and during the strike, steps were taken to minimize harm to civilians as much as possible, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance.”

In addition, the IDF Spokesperson confirmed Tuesday evening that the IDF struck Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, late last week and killed terrorist Mohsen Farid Said Abu al-Hadaf, the head of a rocket cell in Islamic Jihad. The terrorist took part in the October 7 massacre in the Kissufim area. According to the IDF, “recently, the terrorist advanced terror attacks against IDF forces and Israeli civilians, in systematic violation of the ceasefire. He was killed to remove the threat he posed.”

Palestinians reported Tuesday afternoon that from overnight through early evening, the IDF carried out four targeted killings across Gaza. As previously reported, the IDF announced earlier Tuesday that it struck the Khan Younis area yesterday and killed terrorist Rafat Abu Zemer, a company commander at the operations headquarters of Hamas’s military wing. In another strike, in Gaza City, the IDF killed Muhammad Khader Fahmi Aghour, an operative in Hamas’s military wing. The terrorist was involved in manufacturing weapons for the organization.