Israel has reported the killing of a senior Hamas commander in an overnight air strike in the south of the Gaza Strip — just two months after the death of his predecessor, Politico writes.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identified the commander as Samir Mahmoud Hassan Abu Yunis. He led Hamas’s brigade in Rafah and is known to have played a leading role in planning the attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
“Abu Yunis was appointed brigade commander about two months ago, following the killing of his predecessor,” the IDF said in a statement published on Sunday on the social network X.
According to the Israeli military, Abu Yunis previously served as the brigade’s deputy commander and led its Tel al-Sultan battalion.
The IDF accuses him of organising attacks on Israeli civilians and service personnel, as well as working to rebuild Hamas’s military capabilities.
“The terrorist was eliminated to remove the threat he posed,” the military said.
In a Telegram post, the Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’s military wing) said Abu Yunis took part in “numerous high-profile operations” and was “one of the most important commanders involved in planning and coordinating the 7 October attack”.
Abu Yunis replaced Nael Abu Obeida in the role; Israel killed him on 15 September.
The killing comes against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire that came into force in October 2025. Although it brought an end to large-scale fighting, Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip continue. US President Donald Trump’s broader peace plan is currently deadlocked due to disagreements over Hamas’s disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that Hamas must lay down its arms before Israeli forces withdraw. He rejected a phased approach under which the two processes would proceed in parallel.