An IDF strike yesterday on a home in the central Gaza Strip killed Saba'ai Abu Hasna, a Hamas operative from the 'Shadow Unit' responsible for holding Israeli hostages, an Israeli security source reports. Abu Hasna was the operative who forced former hostage Omer Shem Tov to kiss him on the forehead during the release ceremony. A third Hamas terrorist, Abd al-Rahman Abu Gharkoud, was also eliminated in the same strike, according to the report.
The IDF strike, carried out yesterday on a home belonging to the Abu Hasna family in the central Gaza Strip, killed two Hamas operatives: Saba'ai Abu Hasna of the 'Shadow Unit' (the unit responsible for holding Israeli hostages), and Abd al-Rahman Abu Gharkoud, according to a report from a security-affiliated source. The strike also killed Ahmed Washa, a journalist for Al Jazeera, according to earlier reporting.
Saba'ai Abu Hasna gained notoriety during the hostage release phase of the ceasefire when he forced former hostage Omer Shem Tov to kiss him on the forehead in a widely condemned ceremony. As The Zioneer reported earlier today (Sunday at 04:20 Jerusalem), the same strike was previously reported as targeting the home where a Hamas operative linked to hostage holding was killed. The security source now confirms Abu Hasna's specific role and identity.
The third operative killed, Abd al-Rahman Abu Gharkoud, was named alongside Abu Hasna. The military has not commented formally on the operation's full target list. The strike occurred in the context of ongoing IDF operations in the central Gaza Strip against Hamas infrastructure and personnel.
3 developments
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- DevelopingIDF strike kills Hamas cell leader in southern Gaza; 8 reported dead in tent camp attack
- DevelopingIDF Haruv Reconnaissance Unit kills one Hamas operative, wounds and captures another in central Gaza ambush
- StrongOvernight and morning strikes in Gaza eliminate five, including Hamas-linked ISIS operatives
Source and signal
- Internal intake