An Israeli Air Force airstrike targeted Hamas leader Ali al-Amoudi early Saturday in Gaza City's Rimal neighborhood, according to The Zioneer. The IDF identifies al-Amoudi as the successor to the late Yahya Sinwar and a key planner of the October 7 attack, but has not confirmed whether the strike succeeded. Five people, including four women, were killed in the strike; two of the women were buried at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed Saturday night that it carried out an airstrike early Saturday morning targeting Ali al-Amoudi, the deputy chairman of Hamas's political bureau in Gaza, in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City. According to Palestinian media reports, five people were killed in the strike, including four women—two of whom were later buried at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius. The IDF stated that the strike was conducted with precision munitions and steps were taken to minimize civilian harm, but acknowledged that the results remain under review and al-Amoudi's fate is not yet known.
The Zioneer first reported at 16:35 Jerusalem that early assessments suggested the assassination attempt had failed. By 16:59, Israeli officials told N12 they could not confirm al-Amoudi's elimination. At approximately 22:00 Saturday, the IDF officially confirmed the strike, describing al-Amoudi as the most senior Hamas figure remaining in Gaza, the right-hand man of the late Yahya Sinwar, and a key figure in the decision-making for the October 7, 2023 massacre. The IDF also noted his involvement in the 1993 murder of four Israelis in Judea and Samaria and the 1994 killing of Shin Bet officer Noam-Menahem Cohen in Ramallah.
As The Zioneer reported in earlier coverage, al-Amoudi succeeded Sinwar as the de facto leader of Hamas in Gaza and was described as the architect of a strategic deception campaign aimed at lulling Israel into a false sense of security. The Saturday strike is part of ongoing Israeli military operations targeting senior Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip, even as ground maneuvers have transitioned to precision raids.
What remains unresolved: The IDF has not confirmed whether al-Amoudi was killed, wounded, or escaped the strike. Hamas has not issued any statement regarding his status. The military said it continues to assess the results of the operation.
7 developments
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- ConfirmedIDF says it killed two Hamas commanders in separate Gaza strikes, including operations company commander
- DevelopingIDF Eliminates 4 Islamic Jihad Commanders in Gaza Strike
- ConfirmedIDF strikes 6 targets across Gaza, eliminates Hamas police chief for northern Gaza Strip
Source and signal
- Open-source intake