Israel Claims Senior Hamas Commander Raed Saed Killed in Gaza Strike

The Israeli military on Saturday claimed it killed senior Hamas commander Raed Saed in a targeted strike on a vehicle in Gaza City, marking the most high-profile killing of a Hamas leader since a ceasefire came into force in October.

In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation was carried out in response to a Hamas attack earlier in the day in which an explosive device injured two Israeli soldiers. Israel said Saed was one of the key planners of the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.

According to Gaza health authorities, the strike on the car killed at least five people and injured 25 others. There was no immediate confirmation from Hamas or local medical officials that Saed was among those killed.

An Israeli military official described Saed as a senior Hamas figure who played a crucial role in developing the group’s weapons production network. The official said Saed had recently been involved in efforts to rebuild Hamas’ military capabilities, calling it a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Hamas sources have identified Saed as the deputy commander of the group’s armed wing and a former head of the Gaza City battalion, one of Hamas’ largest and most heavily armed units. In a statement, Hamas condemned the strike, accusing Israel of breaching the ceasefire, but did not confirm Saed’s death or announce retaliatory action.

The Gaza war began after Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostages during the October 7, 2023 attack. Israel’s subsequent military offensive has killed more than 70,700 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health officials.

Although the October ceasefire has allowed increased humanitarian aid and the return of displaced residents to parts of Gaza City, violence has continued. Palestinian authorities say Israeli strikes since the truce have killed at least 386 people, while Israel reports the deaths of three soldiers during the same period.