Overview

• Israel’s military and Shin Bet said Hudayfa Samir Abdallah al-Kahlout, known as Abu Obeida, was eliminated over the weekend in an operation guided by prior intelligence and coordinated with the Southern Command.
• Hamas had not publicly confirmed his death at the time of the reports.
• Independent reporting placed the strike in Gaza City’s al-Rimal neighborhood, where at least seven people were reported killed and 20 injured, including in a residential building hit by multiple missiles.
• The military described Abu Obeida as the public face of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades and said he oversaw propaganda and psychological operations, including releasing hostage videos and footage from 7 October 2023.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz commented on the attack as Israel pressed an expanded offensive in Gaza City, which the military recently declared a combat zone.