IDF Kills Hamas Rafah Brigade Commander in Gaza Strike

The IDF and Shin Bet announced Tuesday evening that they had eliminated Nael Abu Abid, commander of Hamas's Rafah Brigade and head of the terror organization's operations division, in a targeted strike in southern Gaza.

Abu Abid was appointed to the position following the elimination of Mohammed Shabana. He previously served as deputy commander of the Rafah Brigade and commander of the Tel Sultan and Yabna battalions. In his role, he was responsible for directing the brigade's terrorist operatives and planning and executing terror attacks against IDF forces and Israeli civilians. He also worked to rebuild the brigade's capabilities after it sustained heavy losses throughout the war.

Gaza sources reported two fatalities in the strike, including an eight-year-old girl, and 14 wounded in three strikes targeting tents housing displaced persons west of Khan Younis. According to reports from Gaza, two adjacent tents were struck near the gate of the al-Sumud camp west of Khan Younis. The first explosion was caused by a suicide drone, followed by two missiles fired from aircraft at the location.

Abu Abid was considered the most powerful figure in Hamas Gaza and the de facto commander of the organization following the elimination of Mohammed Sinwar and his predecessor Mohammed Shabana. Shabana was eliminated in June 2025 in a strike in Khan Younis, alongside Mohammed Sinwar, who was then head of Hamas's military wing.

Confirmed eliminated (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted after the elimination, writing briefly: "No terrorist is immune, and Hamas will not be in Gaza."

Defense Minister Israel Katz addressed the elimination, saying: "The policy that the Prime Minister and I are leading, and which the IDF is executing in the most professional and proper manner, is clear: we eliminate terrorists and remove threats, and do not attack civilians and uninvolved persons, in contrast to the blood libel fabricated by the creators of the Naza film about our heroic soldiers. No terrorist is immune and Hamas will not be in Gaza."

In recent days, the pace of eliminations appears to be accelerating. The Shin Bet recently reached Mohammed Yazouri (Abu al-Haitham), commander of Hamas's Khan Younis Brigade, and eliminated him along with a company commander and another terrorist.

Yesterday, the IDF carried out five eliminations, one of whom was the commander of the Jabaliya Battalion. In a statement released by the IDF and Shin Bet, it was stated that "the IDF and Shin Bet struck in northern Gaza overnight and eliminated the terrorist Ahmed Batash, commander of the Jabaliya Battalion in the Northern Gaza Brigade of the military wing of the Hamas terror organization."