Israel has killed Samir Abu Younis, a senior Hamas figure who helped plan and oversee the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) confirmed in a statement on Telegram that it had "eliminated" Younis. Describing him as a "central figure among Hamas's senior figures", the statement said he had "acted with the aim of trying to restore the strength of the brigade and the Hamas terrorist organisation". It added: "Younis directed the brigade's terrorists to advance and carry out terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops."
Hamas's military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, reported that Younis was killed on Saturday in Al-Mawasi. The group stated that Younis "participated in numerous high-profile operations and resisted enemy incursions" and was "one of the most important commanders involved in planning and overseeing the 7 October attack." The Al-Qassam Brigades characterized his death as a "cowardly assassination."
The Israeli military stated it targeted Younis in a strike overnight and noted that "steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians" prior to the strike.
Eyewitnesses in Gaza reported that four missiles struck a tent in the Al-Waha camp in Al-Mawasi, which houses hundreds of displaced people, causing a fire. A medical source at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported that three injured people and one dead body arrived at the facility.
Younis, 53, had been the commander of the Rafah Brigade since September 15, following the death of the previous commander, Nael Abu Obeid. He joined Hamas' armed wing in 1991 and held several senior operational roles before becoming commander.
Hamas announced that Younis's funeral will be held on Sunday afternoon in Khan Younis.
The conflict began following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Since then, the Palestinian health ministry reports that more than 74,650 people have been killed in the territory.
While a ceasefire was reached in October 2025, Israel maintains it has the right to continue occasional strikes targeting remaining Hamas militants under the terms of the agreement. Gaza health authorities state that at least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect, while five Israeli soldiers have been killed during that period.
