IDF eliminates Hamas northern Gaza brigade commander Bikh

Footage of the elimination (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

The IDF and Shin Bet struck in northern Gaza overnight Tuesday and eliminated the terrorist Iz al-Din Bikh, commander of the northern Gaza brigade in the military wing of the Hamas terror organization.

The IDF and Shin Bet noted that Iz al-Din Bikh has held the position since the elimination of Ahmed Ghandour, after serving as the brigade's intelligence officer.

In his role, Iz al-Din Bikh was responsible for directing the brigade's terrorist operatives and guiding them in advancing and executing terror attacks against IDF forces and Israeli civilians.

He also worked to rebuild the brigade's force structure, which has been severely degraded throughout the war.

"The terrorist posed an immediate threat to IDF forces and Israeli civilians and was eliminated in a precision strike," the IDF and Shin Bet stated.

The IDF struck an apartment in the Nasr neighborhood in western Gaza City overnight. This morning, Palestinians reported that the northern Gaza brigade commander of the Hamas terror organization was killed in the strike.

According to reports, Iz al-Din al-Bikh "Ashmawi," commander of the northern Gaza Strip brigade in Hamas's al-Qassam Brigades, was killed in the apartment strike, after surviving a similar assassination attempt four months earlier.

The apartment on fire after the strike (Photo: Section 27a)

During May, the IDF attempted to eliminate him in a strike in northern Gaza. Initially, the elimination was reported as successful, but it later became clear that he had survived. The deputy commander of the Gaza City brigade in Hamas, Imad Aslim, was killed in that strike.

Al-Bikh was appointed to his position after the previous northern Gaza brigade commander was eliminated by Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announced ahead of the IDF that "the IDF eliminated Iz al-Din Bikh in Gaza overnight, commander of the northern Gaza brigade in the Hamas terror organization, who was engaged in terror attacks against our forces and worked to recruit terror operatives to the organization."

Netanyahu and Katz added: "We commend the IDF and Shin Bet for their determined activity against Hamas commanders and terrorists. We will continue to hunt and pursue all the organization's terrorists, from its commanders to its last operatives, wherever they hide, until there is no Hamas in Gaza."