Hamas Commander Who Killed 3 Soldiers Eliminated in Gaza

Dramatic footage from an airstrike in the Gaza Strip that eliminated terrorist Farah Hamed, a senior figure in Hamas's military wing, was released Thursday evening. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit and Israel Police confirmed the elimination.

Hamed was involved in the murder of three IDF soldiers during the Second Intifada, was released in the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange, and continued directing terror operations in Judea and Samaria from inside the Strip.

The released footage captures the precise moment of elimination through an airstrike in the Sheikh Ajlin neighborhood, located in southwest Gaza City. The video shows a targeted explosion neutralizing the target in a built-up, populated area, thick smoke rising from the site, and documentation of forces on the ground and civilians passing near the scene immediately after the strike.

Farah Hamed served as a key figure in Hamas's terror apparatus for many years. As part of his activity in the 'Silwad' cell in the Binyamin region, he was involved in a series of deadly attacks, including the shooting attack in October 2003 at Ein Yabrud in which Staff Sergeant Elad Pollak, Staff Sergeant Roy Yaakov Solomon, and First Sergeant Erez Idan fell.

Following his capture, Hamed was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for his central role in the murders. However, his release came in 2011 as part of the Shalit deal, with immediate deportation to the Gaza Strip. Even after his removal to Gaza, Hamed did not cease his activities and continued to serve as a central figure in advancing and directing terror cells in Judea and Samaria from within the Gaza Strip.

The elimination was carried out in a joint, precision intelligence operation by the Shin Bet, the IDF, and the Gideons Unit of the Israel Police (Lahav 433). According to security officials, prior to executing the airstrike, a long series of preliminary measures were taken to minimize harm to uninvolved parties as much as possible, including the use of precise and meticulous munitions as well as intelligence gathering and precise aerial surveillance over time.

Security officials emphasize that the determined and integrated effort against terrorists who took part in deadly attacks will continue with full force across all arenas in order to remove threats and protect the security of Israeli citizens and security forces.