Mother Thanks IDF After Son's Hamas Captor Eliminated

Einav Tsengauker, mother of former hostage Matan Zangauker, responded Thursday evening to news that Israeli forces had killed the Hamas operative who held her son captive in Gaza. In her statement, she thanked the Israel Defense Forces for eliminating the commander.

"On behalf of myself and Matan, we wish to thank the IDF, all its soldiers in regular and reserve service, and all security forces who closed the circle and brought about the elimination of the murderous terrorist who held Matan and other hostages captive in Gaza," she wrote in a post on X.

Matan also addressed the elimination, writing in an Instagram story: "I got out of captivity, he got out of the story. Well done to the IDF."

The moments the terrorist was eliminated (IDF Spokesperson)

Earlier Thursday, the IDF confirmed it had eliminated Ismail Mohammed Ibrahim Brim, a commander in Hamas's military wing, in a strike carried out Wednesday night in the Khan Younis area. Brim was suspected of holding Idan Alexander, Matan Zangauker, and Avera Mengistu in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to the IDF, Brim had recently been advancing terror operations against Israeli forces and Israeli civilians. Additionally, he was attempting to rebuild the terror organization's capabilities while systematically violating the ceasefire. "The strike was carried out to remove the threat," the military stated. "IDF forces in the Southern Command are deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to act to remove any immediate threat."