The Lead
Hamas officially confirmed on Thursday morning that Farah Hamed, a senior commander in its military wing, was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City. Hamed, who served on the Al-Qassam Brigades' Military Council with responsibility for operations in Judea and Samaria, was targeted while traveling on a motorcycle in the Sheikh Ijlin neighborhood.
The death of Farah Hamed marks the removal of a veteran operative who played a dual role in Hamas's military hierarchy: as a senior commander within the Gaza-based leadership and as a primary architect of terror infrastructure in Judea and Samaria. According to reports from Gaza and Palestinian media, Hamed succumbed to wounds sustained during a precision strike on Al-Rashid Street in western Gaza City. While the IDF has not issued a formal statement regarding the specific strike, the elimination aligns with ongoing efforts to degrade the "West Bank Headquarters"—a specialized Hamas unit operating from Gaza to bypass Israeli security measures.
A Legacy of the Silwad Cell
Hamed’s history in the Hamas military apparatus is extensive. Born in Silwad near Ramallah, he was a founding member of the notorious "Silwad cell" during the Second Intifada. This cell was responsible for several lethal attacks, including the 2003 Ein Yabroud ambush that killed three IDF soldiers from the Duchifat Battalion, and the murders of Israeli civilians Shuli Har-Melech, Esther Galia, and Zvi Goldstein. Hamed was captured in 2003 and sentenced to multiple life terms, but he was released and deported to Gaza in 2011 as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange.
Strategic Role and Impact
Once in Gaza, Hamed did not abandon his operational activities. He rose through the ranks to join the Al-Qassam Brigades' Military Council, specifically tasked with directing and funding terror cells in Judea and Samaria. His elimination follows a pattern of Israeli strikes targeting the leadership of the West Bank Headquarters. For the families of his victims, the news represents a significant closure. Member of Knesset Limor Son Har-Melech, whose husband was murdered by Hamed’s cell, stated that "justice was done," noting that the "long arm of Israel" eventually reaches those responsible for terror. The Zioneer will continue to follow official updates regarding the impact of this strike on Hamas's regional command structure.
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