Hamas' De-facto PM, Rawhi Mushtaha, Was Killed 3 Months Ago, says IDF

Tel Aviv: The Israel Defence Forces on Thursday, October 4, confirmed that it had eliminated the head of the Hamas government in Gaza along with two other senior officials during airstrikes that were carried out there months ago.

In a post on X, the IDF said that a strike on an underground compound in northern Gaza killed Rawhi Mushtaha and two other Hamas commanders, Sameh Siraj and Sameh Oudeh. However, there has been no immediate comment from the terrorist group.

"Approximately 3 months ago, in a joint IDF and ISA strike in Gaza, the following terrorists were eliminated: Rawhi Mushtaha, the Head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Sameh al-Siraj, who held the security portfolio on Hamas' political bureau and Hamas' Labor Committee, Sami Oudeh, Commander of Hamas' General Security Mechanism. IAF fighter jets struck and eliminated the terrorists while they were hiding in a fortified and equipped underground compound in northern Gaza. The compound served as a Hamas command and control center and enabled senior operatives to remain inside of it for extended periods of time. The IDF will continue to pursue all of the terrorists responsible for the October 7 massacre and will operate against anyone who threatens the State of Israel," the IDF said in a statement.

Mushtaha was known to be a close associate of Yahya Sinwar, the top leader of Hamas, the mastermind of the October 7 attack on Israel that killed over 1,200 people and triggered tensions across the Middle East.

IDF Eliminates Hamas' Lebanon Head Fateh Sherif

This comes days after the Israeli military confirmed the elimination of Hamas leader Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin in a targeted strike in Lebanon.

Sherif played a key role in coordinating Hamas activities with Hezbollah and was instrumental in recruiting members for the Palestinian militant organization. His responsibilities also included boosting Hamas’ political and military presence, the IDF disclosed.

Reports from Palestinian sources indicate that Sherif also served as the head of the teachers' association under the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Lebanon.

Earlier in the day, Hamas had announced that their Lebanon-based leader, Sherif, along with his wife, son, and daughter, were killed when a strike hit their home in a Palestinian refugee camp in the southern city of Tyre.

(Inputs from Agencies)