Israeli aircraft killed a senior Hamas commander during an air strike on a residential apartment block in Gaza City [1].
The operation marks a significant escalation in Israel's effort to eliminate the leadership responsible for the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. By targeting high-ranking commanders in residential areas, the Israeli military seeks to disrupt the operational chain of command of Hamas' armed wing.
The strike occurred during the night of May 15–16, 2024 [3]. An IDF spokesperson said the military killed Nukhba commander Anas Hamed in the targeted operation [3]. Other reports identify the target as a top commander or the head of the armed wing [1, 2].
Seven people died in the strike [2]. Separate reporting indicates another related air strike killed four people [4] and wounded at least 40 [4].
An Israeli military spokesperson said, "He was an architect of the October 7, 2023 attacks" [2]. The target was located within a residential building where widespread damage was observed on May 16, 2024 [5].
The identity of the commander has seen some conflicting reports. While some sources identify the individual as Anas Hamed [3], other reports describe the target as an unnamed senior commander [1, 2].
Israel continues to target figures it describes as architects of the 2023 attacks as part of its ongoing military campaign in the Gaza Strip. The use of residential blocks for these targets has resulted in significant structural damage to civilian infrastructure in Gaza City [5].
“"He was an architect of the October 7, 2023 attacks."”
The targeting of Anas Hamed, or a commander of similar rank, demonstrates Israel's continued focus on the 'architects' of the Oct. 7 attacks. The fact that the strike occurred in a residential apartment block underscores the ongoing challenge of urban warfare in Gaza, where military targets are embedded within civilian populations, leading to collateral casualties and extensive infrastructure damage.
