The Israel Defense Force (IDF) announced it has eliminated another senior Hamas commander — Naseem Abu Ajina — who played a key role in the Palestinian terror organization’s unprecedented assault on the Jewish state earlier this month.
The Jerusalem Post reports:
The Hamas commander who orchestrated the attacks on Erez and Netiv Ha’asara during the deadly Hamas massacre in southern Israel on October 7 has been eliminated, the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said in a statement on Tuesday morning.
Naseem Abu Ajina was the commander of the Beit Lahia Battalion in Hamas’s Northern Division.
Naseem Abu Ajina’s killing is the latest carried out against Hamas by the Israeli government, which has vowed to destroy the terror group over its bloody attack that killed 1,200 people and wounded 4,500 more.
The IDF recently killed Ali Qadi, a key Hamas commander behind terror group’s attack, as well as Abu Merad, who served as the head of the Hamas aerial system and was primarily responsible for directing militants during the onslaught, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Qadi was arrested in 2005, following the murder of Israelis and was subsequently released as part of the Gilad Shalit exchange agreement.
The Shalit prisoner exchange occurred in 2011. Israel exchanged 1,027 terrorists for the Israeli soldier.
File/Recently-freed Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit (R) is escorted by France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) as he leaves the presidential Elysee palace after a meeting on February 08, 2012 in Paris. Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the return of Shalit, who was captured by Gaza militants in 2006. (LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images)
As of Tuesday, Israeli forces continue to carry out a second limited ground raid into Gaza as part of an effort to target Hamas terrorists.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday described the war against Hamas as an existential battle.
“This is the second stage of the war whose goals are clear — to destroy Hamas’ governing and military capabilities and to bring the hostages home,” Netanyahu, flanked by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and cabinet minister Benny Gantz, said during a press conference in Tel Aviv.
“Never Again’ is now,” the prime minister added.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect a revised number on the death toll from the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. The Israeli government estimate of 1,400 was revised to around 1,200, according to Reuters.
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