Overview
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said they ordered the targeted hit after an explosive wounded two Israeli soldiers in Gaza’s designated Yellow Area.
- Israeli officials describe Raed Saad as Hamas’ head of weapons production and a key planner of the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, saying he was working to rebuild the group’s capabilities.
- Gaza health and civil defense authorities reported four to five people killed and more than 25 wounded, with bodies taken to Al-Shifa Hospital after a vehicle was struck near Tel al-Hawa by the Nabulsi roundabout.
- Hamas condemned the attack as a ceasefire violation and said a civilian vehicle was hit, while it withheld confirmation of Saad’s death.
- Family sources told AFP that Saad was killed and that a funeral would be held Sunday, in what would be the most senior Hamas killing claimed by Israel since the October ceasefire took effect.