Israel kills Hamas terrorist commander tied to Oct. 7 massacre

Israeli forces killed a commander of Hamas’ elite Nukhba unit who helped lead the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack, military officials said Sunday. 

Abu Karim, who allegedly led his forces in the invasion of the Kissufim kibbutz three years ago, was killed in a targeted strike in southern Gaza last Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security agency said in a joint statement.  

Karim was allegedly involved in efforts to rebuild Hamas capabilities amid the current US-backed cease-fire, and was also one of the masterminds behind attacks on Israeli troops during the war. 

A man walks with the wedding jacket of Muhanad Othman Yassin Farwana in the southern Gaza Strip, June 6, 2026 AFP via Getty Images

The Hamas leader’s killing comes as Israel has reportedly ramped up efforts to go after terrorists who took part in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack that killed more than 1,200 people and kick-started the war in Gaza. 

The strike that killed Karim also killed a Hamas member who served as a communications operative for the terrorist group, Israeli officials added. 

Despite last year’s cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, brokered by President Trump, daily fighting continues in war-torn Gaza as the Jewish state seeks to expand its hold on the Palestinian enclave. 

Personal belongings are seen among the rubble after an Israeli airstrike targeted the southern Gaza Strip, June 6, 2026. Anadolu via Getty Images

Airstrikes carried on over the weekend, with the IDF killing Muhanad Othman Yassin Farwana, a commander in Hamas’ military wing. 

Like Karim, Farwana was involved in multiple attacks against IDF troops during the war and posed an immediate threat to soldiers in the area, the Israeli military said. 

The weekend strikes also killed at least 24 other people, according to the Hamas-run civil defense service, which does not differentiate between militants and civilians. 

At least 600 people have been killed since the cease-fire began in October 2025, with more than 72,000 killed during the war, according to Gaza’s ministry of health. 

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