A journalist reports that a Hamas platoon commander who was responsible for holding Israeli hostages and documenting their release ceremonies was killed in Gaza. The commander was described as the right-hand man of Muhammad Deif.
On Thursday, July 16, the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed that a precision airstrike in Khan Younis the previous day had killed Anas Mahmoud Ahmad Hamdan, a Hamas company commander who held Israeli hostages during the war and served as the right-hand man of senior leaders Muhammad Deif and Rafa'a Salameh. The military stated that Hamdan was also responsible for Hamas propaganda in the Khan Younis Brigade and was involved in training terrorists and plotting attacks on troops and Israeli civilians. The confirmation came after initial reports from a journalist who identified the target as a Hamas platoon commander and Deif's right-hand man responsible for holding hostages and documenting their release ceremonies.
The development of this story began with the release of the name Anas Hamdan on Thursday, July 16 at 13:32 Jerusalem. Shortly thereafter, reports identified him as a member of Hamas's Shadow Unit, the unit responsible for holding Israeli hostages. Further reporting revealed that Hamdan had personally led the hostage release ceremony for Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas in early February 2025. The official IDF and Shin Bet confirmation provided a comprehensive account of Hamdan's role and the circumstances of his elimination.
The Zioneer has previously reported on IDF operations targeting Hamas commanders involved in hostage holding, including a senior operative eliminated on June 30. These operations are part of a broader campaign to dismantle Hamas's hostage-holding infrastructure.
As of the latest confirmation, the details of Hamdan's elimination are fully verified by official Israeli security sources. No further unverified claims remain.
7 developments
- DevelopingAnalysis: Nitzan Alon's hostage policy blamed for prolonging suffering, IDF deaths
- StrongHamas confirms killing of arms dealer Mohammed Zayed in Al-Yamun by Duvdevan, Shin Bet
- DevelopingHamas military wing releases 1992 photos of slain IRGC commander Saeed Izadi with senior terrorists
- StrongIDF and Shin Bet eliminate Hamas platoon commander Adel Jihad Muhammad Asfour
Source and signal
- Internal intake