IDF kills two Hamas cell commanders in central and northern Gaza strikes

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out two targeted operations on Monday to neutralize Hamas field commanders in the central and northern sectors of the Gaza Strip. According to military statements, the strikes were directed at individuals actively planning attacks against Israeli forces. ### Targeted Strikes in Nuseirat and Jabalia In central Gaza, an IDF strike killed Saleh Ramadan Muhammad Khalifa. Khalifa served as a cell commander within Hamas’s Nuseirat Battalion, a unit that has remained active despite ongoing military pressure. Simultaneously, in the northern Gaza Strip, the IDF targeted and eliminated Muhammad Musa Diab al-Habil. Al-Habil held a similar leadership role as a cell commander in the Western Jabalia Battalion. The military emphasized that both operatives were in the process of executing terror plots against IDF personnel at the time they were struck. ### Operational Context and Precautions The IDF stated that the eliminations were carried out using precise munitions and were supported by aerial surveillance to minimize the risk to non-combatants. These strikes occur as Israeli forces under the Southern Command remain deployed in accordance with existing operational frameworks, maintaining a posture focused on removing immediate threats. This development follows a pattern of preemptive strikes against mid-level Hamas leadership, which the IDF maintains is essential for ensuring the safety of troops on the ground. While the military has confirmed the identities and roles of the deceased, there has been no immediate independent verification of the specific threats they posed.