The Israel Defense Forces announced Saturday that a targeted airstrike in Gaza City killed Raad Saad, a senior Hamas commander described as one of the architects of the October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel.
According to the IDF, Saad headed Hamas’s weapons manufacturing headquarters and was a key figure in rebuilding the group’s military capabilities during an ongoing ceasefire. He was considered second only to Hamas’s current military chief, Izz al-Din Haddad, among remaining senior commanders in Gaza.
The strike reportedly hit a vehicle traveling along Gaza’s coastal Rashid Road. Palestinian media said four people were killed and more than 20 injured.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strike was carried out in response to ceasefire violations, including an explosive attack earlier that day that wounded two Israeli soldiers in southern Gaza.
The IDF said Saad played a central role in Hamas’s military planning, including the development of the “Jericho’s Walls” invasion plan that culminated in the October 7 massacre. He was also involved in establishing Hamas’s elite Nukhba Force, which spearheaded the cross-border assault.
Military officials said Saad had long been a priority target and was killed following new intelligence on his whereabouts. Israel reportedly did not give the United States advance notice of the strike.
Hamas condemned the attack, accusing Israel of deliberately undermining the ceasefire and warning of consequences. Israel maintains that Saad’s actions constituted a direct violation of the agreement.
