The Israeli military on Sunday said its forces had killed a senior commander of Hamas's military wing in a strike in southern Gaza. Hamas also confirmed the death of one of its commanders, Samir Abu Younis, who allegedly played a key role in planning the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, NDTV reported.
"A short while ago, the IDF and ISA struck a senior terrorist in Hamas' military wing," the Israeli military said in a joint statement with internal security agency Shin Bet in the early hours of Sunday.
Younis, who was identified as the commander of Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades in Rafah, was killed on Saturday, according to a statement issued by the group's military wing.
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The IDF also confirmed the killing in a post on its official X account. "Eliminated: Samir Mahmoud Hassan Abu Younis, Commander of Hamas' Rafah Brigade, in a strike in southern Gaza overnight," the post read.
🔴 ELIMINATED: Samir Mahmoud Hassan Abu Younis, Commander of Hamas' Rafah Brigade, in a strike in southern Gaza overnight. Abu Younis was appointed commander of the brigade approximately 2 months ago, following the elimination of his predecessor. He previously served as the brigade's deputy commander and commander of the Tel al-Sultan Battalion. He directed terror attacks against Israeli civilians & IDF troops and worked to restore Hamas' military capabilities. The terrorist was eliminated in order to remove the threat he posed.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 15, 2026
"He was killed yesterday evening... in a cowardly assassination operation," the Al-Qassam Brigade said in a post on Telegram, NDTV reported. It described Younis as "among the most important commanders involved in the planning and supervision of the 7 October attack."
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Gaza's civil defence spokesman, Mahmoud Bassal, told AFP that the agency had received the body of Younis, 53. He added that two other people were wounded in the strike in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military did not provide further details about the operation but said it would issue additional information later.
Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire that came into effect in October 2025, following two years of war triggered by the October 7 attack.
Although the US-backed ceasefire has largely brought down the intensity of fighting, Israel has continued to carry out regular strikes across the Gaza Strip.
More than 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, according to Gaza's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority. The United Nations considers the ministry's casualty figures reliable.
During the same period, the Israeli military has reported the deaths of seven soldiers and one civilian contractor.
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