The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed Monday that they eliminated Wael Mousa Khaled Lada'awi, head of Hamas's internal security for the Central Camps, in a strike in Deir al-Balah. The military said Lada'awi's unit was responsible for intelligence gathering that helped advance terror plots against Israel. Southern Command forces remain deployed in the area per the existing agreement.
The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed Monday that the target eliminated in Sunday's strike in Deir al-Balah was Wael Mousa Khaled Lada'awi, the head of Hamas's internal security for the Central Camps. The military stated that Lada'awi's unit was responsible for collecting intelligence for senior Hamas officials and advancing terror plots against Israel. The statement provided the first official confirmation of his identity, following earlier reports from various sources.
The operation was first reported Sunday by Arab sources, which indicated that a vehicle strike had killed two senior Hamas internal security officials. Hamas's Interior Ministry later confirmed the deaths of Lada'awi and officer Ramiz Abu Zureik. Israeli journalist Sapir Lipkin (N12) then identified Lada'awi as the target. The IDF and Shin Bet subsequently confirmed the elimination on Sunday, noting that the strike was part of ongoing operations to dismantle Hamas's command structure.
This elimination is part of a broader Israeli effort to target mid-level commanders in Hamas's security apparatus. As The Zioneer has reported, the IDF has eliminated several cell commanders and security officials in recent weeks, including the head of the military security department for the Central Jabaliya Battalion in July. Southern Command forces remain deployed in the area in accordance with the existing agreement.
No further details about the strike or the wider operational picture have been released.
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