Ayman Nofal, commander of Hamas’s Central Gaza Brigade and a member of Hamas’s General Military Council, was killed in an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Times of Israel reported.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that he was targeted following intelligence received by the Shin Bet, Israel’s version of the FBI, and the Military Intelligence Directorate, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Iran’s Ayatollah Says No One Can Stop Muslim ‘Resistance Forces’)
Nofal “was involved in the production and development of weapons, promoted and participated in many terrorist attacks, and was even involved in planning the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit,” tweeted Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesman, in a post in Hebrew.
Israeli strike kills top Hamas commander in charge of Central Gaza Brigade https://t.co/FSMbHXeJEJ . Click to read ⬇️
— The Times of Israel (@TimesofIsrael) October 17, 2023
Shalit was an Israeli soldier kidnapped and held by Hamas from 2006 to 2011, Encyclopedia Britannica noted.
בעברו, עסק בייצור ופיתוח אמצעי לחימה, קידם והיה שותף לפיגועים רבים, ואף היה שותף בתכנון חטיפתו של גלעד שליט. נופל היה מהבכירים הדומיננטיים ביותר בארגון, והיה מקורב למוחמד דף.
— דובר צה״ל דניאל הגרי – Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) October 17, 2023
“Nofal was one of the most dominant senior officials in the organization,” Hagari added.
The spokesman also released footage that appeared to show the IDF’s aerial bombing of Nofal’s hideout. “By virtue of his duties, he directed many terrorist attacks against Israel and the security forces, and he directed the targets of Hamas rocket fire, specifically targeting areas populated by uninvolved civilians,” Hagari wrote as a caption to the video.
בעברו, עסק בייצור ופיתוח אמצעי לחימה, קידם והיה שותף לפיגועים רבים, ואף היה שותף בתכנון חטיפתו של גלעד שליט. נופל היה מהבכירים הדומיננטיים ביותר בארגון, והיה מקורב למוחמד דף.
— דובר צה״ל דניאל הגרי – Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) October 17, 2023
This news follows the elimination of Hamas’s head of intelligence on Monday by Israel.