The IDF and Israel Security Agency (ISA) announced Friday that Muhammad Na'im Jandiya, head of military security for Hamas's Shuja'iyya Battalion, was eliminated in a precision strike in northern Gaza on Wednesday. Jandiya commanded a Nukhba cell that infiltrated Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7 and abducted Capt. Daniel Perez, and was responsible for holding Yotam Chaim, Samer Al-Talalka, and Alon Shamriz in captivity in an underground tunnel throughout the war.
The IDF and Israel Security Agency confirmed Friday that a Hamas operative directly involved in the October 7 abduction of Capt. Daniel Perez and in holding three hostages in an underground tunnel was eliminated in a strike earlier this week.
Muhammad Na'im Jandiya, head of military security for Hamas's Shuja'iyya Battalion, was killed Wednesday in a precision airstrike in northern Gaza, according to a joint IDF-ISA statement. On October 7, Jandiya commanded a Nukhba (elite Hamas) terrorist cell that infiltrated Kibbutz Nahal Oz and abducted Capt. Daniel Perez, an IDF officer who was killed in captivity. Throughout the subsequent fighting, Jandiya was responsible for holding Yotam Chaim, Samer Al-Talalka, and Alon Shamriz — three Israeli civilians abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza and Holit — in an underground tunnel operated by the Shuja'iyya Battalion. The three were mistakenly killed by IDF forces in December 2023 during an engagement in Shejaiya.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Friday, Jandiya was also among the masked Hamas operatives who participated in hostage release ceremonies and had recently advanced attack plots against Israeli troops. Wednesday's strike, which killed Jandiya, follows a series of targeted eliminations of senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives involved in the October 7 attack and subsequent hostage holding.
The ISA statement did not provide further details on whether any other operatives were hit in the same strike. The elimination closes a circle for a senior figure who was both a perpetrator of the October 7 massacre and a direct handler of hostages who died in captivity.
9 developments
- StrongIDF kills four Hamas commanders including Oct. 7 infiltration leader and naval police chief
- StrongIDF kills two Hamas cell commanders in central and northern Gaza strikes
- DevelopingIDF drone strike kills Hamas battalion commander in Khan Younis, second operative
- DevelopingIDF says Jandiya, Hamas operative eliminated in strike, advanced recent attacks, took part in hostage release ceremonies
Source and signal
- Internal intake