Israel Kills Senior Hamas Commander Samir Abu Younis in Southern Gaza Air Strike

Hamas has confirmed that Samir Mahmoud Abu Younis, also known as Abu Mahmoud, the commander of its Rafah Brigade, was killed in an Israeli air strike on Saturday. The Israeli military and the Shin Bet security agency confirmed the operation, stating that Mr Abu Younis was targeted in a drone strike in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The attack hit a tent sheltering displaced people, wounding two others who were subsequently taken to the Nasser Medical Complex.

According to the Israeli army and Shin Bet, Mr Abu Younis had led the Rafah Brigade for approximately two months after the killing of his predecessor, Nael Abu Obeid, on September 15. The military accused him of directing attacks against Israeli civilians and troops and working to rebuild the brigade's fighting capabilities. Hamas stated that Mr Abu Younis joined its military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, in 1991 as a pioneer member, had been detained in Israeli prisons, and held several leadership positions, including commander of the western battalion, before becoming brigade commander. He was also described as a key figure in planning and overseeing the October 7, 2023 attacks.

The funeral of Mr Abu Younis was held on Sunday afternoon in Khan Younis. The strike occurred in Al-Mawasi, a coastal strip crowded with displaced Palestinians living in tents, an area Israel had previously designated as a humanitarian zone.

Despite an October 2025 ceasefire that halted major fighting, Israeli attacks have continued. Gaza health authorities report that since the ceasefire took effect on October 11, 2025, between 1,600 and 1,643 Palestinians have been killed, while five Israeli soldiers have been killed. Since the conflict began in October 2023, Palestinian authorities report that over 74,000 people have been killed, with one source citing 74,695 deaths and 176,093 injuries. This follows the October 7 attack where Hamas-led fighters killed approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel.

Recent reports from Gaza's Ministry of Health indicate that 16 people were killed and 68 others injured over the past 48 hours. Additionally, the ministry reported that deaths related to cold have risen to 11, including a nine-month-old baby who died from hypothermia, as displaced residents live in tents and damaged buildings facing water damage from heavy rains.