Israel has announced that Hamas military commander Mohammed Odeh was killed in a targeted overnight strike in Gaza City. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the operation as a significant setback to the militant group’s military structure.
According to Israeli authorities, Odeh was killed in a joint operation carried out by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet after months of intelligence gathering and surveillance of his movements.
In a post on X, Katz said, “The fourth commander of the Hamas terror organisation’s military wing in Gaza was eliminated yesterday and sent to meet his partners in the depths of hell.”
Israeli officials said that Odeh had recently taken over as the head of Hamas’s military wing after the killing of Izz al-Din al-Haddad earlier this month.
According to Hamas-linked reports from Gaza, Odeh was reportedly killed along with his wife and sons in the strike.
Praising the operation, Israel Katz commended the Israeli military and intelligence agencies, describing the strike as a “brilliant execution.”
“We pledged to eliminate everyone who led the October 7 massacre, and that is what we will do,” Katz was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel. “They are all marked for death, everywhere.”
The Israeli Defence Minister also reaffirmed Israel’s declared goal of dismantling Hamas’s control in Gaza and moving forward with what he termed a plan for “voluntary emigration” from the enclave.
“Everything at the right time and in the right manner,” he added.
In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet confirmed that multiple buildings in Gaza City, reportedly used as hideouts by Odeh and his associates, were targeted in the overnight strike.
The Israeli military also said that an apartment linked to another Hamas operative allegedly involved in the October 7 attacks was struck during the operation, according to The Times of Israel.
According to the IDF, Odeh had earlier led Hamas intelligence before being appointed as the group’s military chief last week.
Israeli security agencies alleged that he was a key figure in planning and coordinating Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and later oversaw operations and intelligence activities targeting Israeli forces during the ongoing conflict.
The agencies further described Odeh as one of the last remaining senior Hamas military commanders associated with planning the October 7 assault, adding that his killing marks a “significant blow” to Hamas’ efforts to regroup and rebuild its military capabilities.
