by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – The IDF and Shin Bet announced Tuesday that they had killed Nael Abu Obeid, commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade, in a drone strike in the southern Gaza Strip.
Abu Obeid assumed command of the brigade in May 2025 after Israel killed his predecessor, Mohammad Shabana, alongside Hamas military chief Mohammad Sinwar in Khan Yunis. Before taking the senior post, Abu Obeid served as the brigade’s deputy commander and led its Tel al-Sultan and Yibna battalions.
Israeli authorities said Abu Obeid directed attacks against IDF troops and remained a central figure in Hamas’s military leadership. His death was confirmed after the initial announcement that Israeli forces had targeted a senior Hamas terrorist.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the operation carried a clear warning: “No terrorist is immune, and Hamas will not be in Gaza.”
The strike comes amid a broader Israeli campaign against Hamas commanders accused of rebuilding the terrorist organization’s battered military network. Earlier Tuesday, the IDF and Shin Bet announced the killing of Ahmad Batash, commander of Hamas’s Jabaliya Battalion. Israel said Batash managed weapons and military supplies while helping prepare attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.
Israel also recently killed Muhammad Yazouri, commander of Hamas’s Khan Yunis Brigade, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket-cell commander Mohsen Abu Hadaf.
The IDF said its forces remain deployed under the existing agreement and will continue acting against threats to Israel. The latest operations underscore Jerusalem’s determination to prevent Hamas from restoring the command structure it used to wage war against the Jewish state.
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