The IDF confirmed Thursday evening that it killed Nahad Riyad Abd al-Rahim Aruq, a Hamas platoon commander in the Shati battalion who infiltrated Israel on October 7, 2023, in a precision airstrike in northern Gaza. The military said Aruq had been involved in training operatives and advancing attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed Thursday evening that it killed Nahad Riyad Abd al-Rahim Aruq, a Hamas platoon commander in the Shati battalion who infiltrated Israel on October 7, 2023, in a precision airstrike in northern Gaza. The military said Aruq had been involved in training operatives and planning attacks against Israeli forces and civilians. The confirmation came at 20:51 Jerusalem, following a report by Channel 14 earlier in the evening that The Zioneer published at 20:39 Jerusalem.
The story of this elimination unfolded throughout Thursday. Early in the morning (11:03 Jerusalem), Palestinian media first reported a strike in the Gaza port area that killed a terrorist identified as Nihad Riyad Aruk, without Israeli confirmation. Israeli media outlets, including N12, soon reported the elimination, identifying the commander as Nihad Riyad Abd al-Rahim Arouq and providing details on his role in the Shati battalion. The IDF itself issued multiple confirmations through the morning, eventually providing the operative's full name and specifying his involvement in the October 7 infiltration and subsequent terrorist activities.
This elimination is part of the IDF's ongoing campaign to target Hamas and other militant operatives who participated in the October 7, 2023, massacre. The Zioneer has reported on several similar eliminations in recent weeks, including a Nukhba platoon commander from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Tue Jun 30, 15:23 Jerusalem), a Hamas platoon commander Adel Jihad Muhammad Asfour (Wed Jul 1, 19:15 Jerusalem), and a Hamas operative Akram Muhammad Mahmoud Abu Mazi (Thu Jun 25, 14:29 Jerusalem), among others. These operations reflect a sustained effort to degrade the command structure of the groups responsible for the Oct. 7 attack.
The precise timing of the strike that killed Aruq was not specified in the IDF statement. The location was given as northern Gaza, with no further details on the exact area.
5 developments
- DevelopingIDF eliminates Hamas operative who infiltrated Israel on October 7
- StrongIDF eliminates Islamic Jihad Nukhba commander who infiltrated on Oct. 7
- StrongIDF eliminates Hamas Oct. 7 infiltrator who was rebuilding terror capabilities in Gaza
- DevelopingIDF eliminates senior Hamas commander involved in October 7 infiltration at Kisufim
Source and signal
- Internal intake