Israel says it killed Raed Saad, a senior Hamas commander accused of helping plan the Oct. 7, 2023 attack; Hamas confirmed his death and called the strike a "blatant" violation of a two-month-old ceasefire while naming a successor. The IDF says the operation was allowed under the truce because it targeted active militants. The strike west of Gaza City reportedly killed four people and wounded others amid continuing post-ceasefire exchanges and mounting humanitarian strain in Gaza.
Israel Kills Senior Hamas Commander Raed Saad — Hamas Calls Strike A 'Blatant' Ceasefire Violation
Israel's military said it killed Raed Saad, a senior Hamas commander it accused of helping plan the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the two-year conflict, after an explosive device detonated and wounded two Israeli soldiers in southern Gaza.
On Sunday, Hamas publicly confirmed Saad's death, identifying him as the head of its military manufacturing unit. The group condemned the strike as a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement" and said it has appointed a new commander, without offering further details.
Israel's stance: An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) official rejected the claim that the operation breached the ceasefire. The official said the agreement permits strikes against targets actively engaged in terrorism and accused Hamas of repeatedly violating the truce by endangering IDF personnel and crossing what Israel calls the "Yellow Line."
"Hamas has been blatantly violating the ceasefire agreement and is failing to uphold its obligations," the IDF official said. "Day after day, Hamas terrorists breach the ceasefire agreement, crossing the yellow line, threatening the lives of IDF soldiers operating in the authorized areas, and moreover undermining the ongoing efforts to maintain stability."
The strike west of Gaza City killed four people, an Associated Press journalist reported after seeing bodies arrive at Shifa Hospital. Al-Awda hospital reported three additional wounded. Both Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused the other side of violating the ceasefire since it took effect two months ago.
Palestinian health authorities say Israeli airstrikes and shootings in Gaza have killed at least 386 Palestinians since the ceasefire began; Israel says many recent strikes were retaliatory, aimed at militants who attacked Israeli soldiers. Israeli troops have also fired on Palestinians who approached the "Yellow Line" separating the Israeli-controlled majority of Gaza from the rest of the territory, according to Israeli statements.
Israel has made the return of the remains of the final hostage, Ran Gvili, a precondition for moving into the second, more complex phase of the ceasefire plan. That next stage envisions ending Hamas's rule and rebuilding Gaza as a demilitarized territory under international supervision.
Background: The Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages taken into Gaza, Israeli officials say. Of those taken, 148 were later freed as part of ceasefire deals or rescued by Israeli forces; the bodies of another 57 hostages have been returned or recovered, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.
Humanitarian toll: Israel's two-year campaign in Gaza has, according to the Hamas-led Health Ministry, resulted in more than 70,650 Palestinian deaths, roughly half of them women and children. Much of Gaza has been devastated and most of its 2+ million residents displaced. Aid deliveries remain below the levels set by the ceasefire, and those who have lost limbs face critical shortages of prosthetics and lengthy waits for medical evacuation.
What to watch next: Whether Israel will escalate further in response to ceasefire violations, how Hamas implements leadership changes in its military units, and whether the parties can advance to the second phase of the ceasefire — which depends in part on the return of Ran Gvili's remains — will shape the coming weeks.
