IDF has not confirmed
Senior Hamas Leader Ghazi Hamed Loses Son in Gaza Strike
This has not been independently verified.
In a dramatic escalation amid ongoing operations in southern Gaza, Palestinian sources reported that Israeli forces eliminated the son of senior Hamas political bureau member Ghazi Hamad (also known as Razi Hamed) during an attempt to escape a tunnel in Rafah.
According to these accounts, the incident involved four fatalities, including the Jenin Battalion commander, described as a Hamas unit operating in the area, and other members, who allegedly fled their underground positions, abandoning lower-ranking fighters without supplies.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed a related strike on the same day, announcing the elimination of the commander of Hamas’s East Rafah Battalion, his deputy, a company commander, and a fourth operative while they tried to flee a tunnel in southern Gaza.
However, the IDF statement did not specify names or mention Hamad's son, leaving the connection between the reports unverified at this time.
Ghazi Hamad, a key Hamas figure born in Rafah's Yibna refugee camp in 1964, has long been a prominent voice in the group's political and negotiating efforts. He previously served as deputy foreign minister in Gaza and has been involved in recent ceasefire talks, even as he faces U.S. sanctions for alleged roles in fundraising and weapons smuggling.
Hamad, who reportedly left Gaza for Lebanon before the October 7, 2023, attacks, has defended those events in interviews, calling them a "golden moment" for the Palestinian cause despite massive casualties.
This reported loss comes against the backdrop of intensified IDF focus on Rafah's tunnel network, where Hamas remnants have been cornered. If confirmed, it could further strain fragile truce negotiations, as Hamad remains a central player in Hamas's diplomatic wing. As of now, no official response from Hamas or further details from Israeli authorities have emerged.