The IDF announced Sunday that it killed Salem Jamal Abd al-Rahman Abu Labad, a Hamas Nukhba Force cell commander, in an airstrike in southern Gaza on Saturday. Abu Labad participated in the infiltration of Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023, massacre.
The IDF confirmed Sunday afternoon that it had eliminated Salem Jamal Abd al-Rahman Abu Labad, a Hamas Nukhba Force cell commander who infiltrated Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023, massacre. The military said Abu Labad was killed in a precise airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday. The confirmation follows the IDF's earlier announcement Sunday morning (08:48 Jerusalem) that it had killed Abu Labad and a second Hamas commander, Muhammad Abd al-Nasser Muhammad Khatib, in separate weekend strikes. The afternoon announcement provided additional details on Abu Labad's role and the operation.
At 08:48 Jerusalem, the IDF announced that it had killed Abu Labad, identifying him as the commander of the Nukhba cell that infiltrated Kibbutz Nir Oz, and Khatib, a commander in Hamas's Maghazi Battalion. The military stated that both operatives were advancing attacks on IDF troops and were eliminated in 'precise aerial strikes to remove the threat.' The Zioneer reported this development at 08:55. The afternoon confirmation reiterated the identification and emphasized the precision of the strike.
The Zioneer has reported on a series of recent eliminations of Nukhba commanders involved in the October 7 attack. On July 8, the IDF eliminated Mohammed Emad Alrahman Abu Taima, who led the assault on Kibbutz Nirim. On June 7, Sakr Abu Karim, who led the infiltration of Kibbutz Kisufim, was killed in a joint IDF-ISA operation. On June 28, Abd al-Rahman Ziyada, who infiltrated Israel and looted an IDF vehicle, was eliminated. These operations are part of the IDF's ongoing campaign to locate and eliminate all perpetrators of the massacre.
The IDF did not provide further details on the strike or any additional casualties. It remains unclear whether other operatives were killed alongside Abu Labad, and the exact location within the southern Gaza Strip was not specified.
3 developments
- StrongIDF eliminates Oct. 7 Nir Oz infiltrator in Gaza strike, third Nukhba commander killed in recent weeks
- StrongIDF kills Hamas cell commander who took part in October 7 abduction of three from Nir Oz
- StrongIDF eliminates Nukhba commander who infiltrated on Oct. 7 and looted an IDF vehicle
- DevelopingIDF kills Nukhba cell commander who led Kisufim infiltration on Oct. 7, additional Hamas operatives
Source and signal
- Open-source intake