The IDF and Shin Bet said in a joint statement Friday that Muhammad Naim Jundiya, head of military security for Hamas's Shujaiya Battalion, was eliminated in a precision strike Wednesday in northern Gaza. Jundiya participated in the October 7 abduction of Capt. Daniel Perez and held Yotam Haim, Samer al-Talalka, and Alon Shamriz in captivity in a tunnel. According to the statement, he was among the masked operatives in hostage release ceremonies and recently advanced attack plots against Israeli forces.
The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet confirmed Friday at 11:53 Jerusalem that Muhammad Naim Jundiya, head of military security for Hamas's Shujaiya Battalion, was killed in a precision airstrike Wednesday in northern Gaza. According to the joint statement, Jundiya participated in the October 7 abduction of Capt. Daniel Perez and held Yotam Haim, Samer al-Talalka, and Alon Shamriz in a tunnel — the three hostages whom the IDF mistakenly shot dead in December 2023. The statement also said Jundiya appeared among masked operatives in hostage-release ceremonies and had recently advanced attack plots against Israeli forces.
The Zioneer first reported the elimination at 11:00 Jerusalem Friday based on initial IDF and Shin Bet confirmation, and followed with additional details at 11:06 and 11:42. The joint statement at 11:53 provides the fullest on-record account. Earlier thread versions (up to nine, all published at 14:53 Jerusalem on Wednesday) consistently identified Jundiya as the target and linked him to Perez's abduction and to the three hostages; each iteration added detail on his role in release ceremonies and recent attack planning.
As The Zioneer reported earlier this week, the IDF and Shin Bet have been tracking and eliminating senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives in Gaza — including commanders who held hostages or infiltrated on October 7 — as part of ongoing counterterrorism operations under the ceasefire framework.
It remains unclear when Jundiya began holding the three hostages, whether other operatives shared responsibility for them, or if additional intelligence on his specific activities was gleaned from the strike itself.
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