What happened
Israeli forces carried out an airstrike on Saturday in Al-Mawasi, in the southern Gaza Strip, killing Samir Abu Younis, the commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade, according to officials from Israel and Gaza.
Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades military wing confirmed Younis’s death, and a local Hamas official also verified it. The Israeli military and Israel’s security agency said they targeted Younis and stated that steps were taken before the strike to reduce harm to civilians.
Eyewitnesses in Gaza reported that four missiles struck a tent in the Al-Waha camp, which shelters hundreds of displaced people, sparking a fire. A medical source at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said three injured people and one dead body arrived at the facility.
The Israeli military described Younis as a central figure among Hamas’s senior figures and said he worked to restore the strength of the brigade and directed attacks against Israeli civilians and troops. Al-Qassam Brigades said Younis participated in numerous high-profile operations and was involved in planning and overseeing the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.
Younis, 53, had held the commander position since 15 September, after the previous commander, Nael Abu Obeid, was killed. He joined Hamas’s armed wing in 1991 and held several senior operational roles. Hamas said his funeral would take place on Sunday afternoon in Khan Younis.
