GAZA CITY: The commander of Hamas’s military wing, Mohammed Odeh, was killed Tuesday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential building in Gaza City. The strike, which also resulted in the deaths of Odeh’s wife and two of his children, comes just days after he reportedly assumed leadership of the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades following the death of his predecessor.
Local medics and witnesses reported that the attack struck the upper three floors of the al-Kayali building, located in a densely populated market district. The strike occurred ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, leaving dozens injured. Emergency rescue teams faced significant delays reaching the upper floors due to extensive structural damage and heavy congestion in the surrounding streets. According to eyewitness accounts, at least five missiles struck the building simultaneously after a helicopter was heard hovering overhead.
Intelligence and Military Operations
A joint statement released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Shin Bet security service confirmed the operation, stating that intelligence teams had tracked Odeh’s movements for several months.
"Several buildings in the heart of Gaza City that served as a hideout for him were attacked, after months of intelligence surveillance in order to track his movements and the movements of his assistants in the organisation," the statement read.
The military noted that the operation also targeted an adjacent apartment belonging to a Hamas operative accused of participating in the October 7 attacks. Following the strike, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office described Odeh as "one of the architects of the October 7 massacre," holding him responsible for the deaths, abductions, and injuries of Israeli citizens and military personnel.
Odeh’s predecessor, Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, was killed earlier this month in a similar airstrike targeting a residential structure.
Ceasefire Fragility and Regional Context
The escalation occurs despite a ceasefire agreement reached in October. Violence has persisted on a near-daily basis, with both sides exchanging allegations of truce violations.
Hamas Stance: The group accuses Israel of repeatedly breaching the ceasefire and targeting civilian areas. The Hamas-run health ministry reports that more than 900 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire took effect.
Israel Stance: The Israeli government maintains its right to target Hamas personnel, asserting that Hamas violated the agreement by refusing to disarm. On Wednesday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz reiterated the government's commitment to preventing Hamas from maintaining civil or military governance in Gaza, adding that a proposed plan for "voluntary emigration" would be addressed at an appropriate time.
Progress on a broader U.S.-led peace plan remains deadlocked. The implementation of the plan's secondary phases—intended to establish a transitional technocratic administration, oversee demilitarisation, and begin reconstruction—stalled following the outbreak of military conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran in February. In the interim, Hamas has reportedly reactivated its civil police force to reassert authority within the territory.
Humanitarian Impact and Casualties
The ongoing conflict has exacted a severe humanitarian toll on Gaza’s 2.1 million residents, a majority of whom remain displaced. According to the local health ministry, whose figures are verified as reliable by the United Nations, more than 72,800 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began. The initial Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7 resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 hostages.
The strike in Gaza coincided with an expansion of Israeli military operations in Lebanon. The IDF reported striking infrastructure belonging to the armed group Hezbollah, resulting in 31 fatalities, as Prime Minister Netanyahu pledged to intensify operations along the northern front.