Daijiworld Media Network - Gaza
Gaza, Nov 15: A senior Hamas commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza, with Palestinian sources identifying the deceased as Samir Abu Younis, a commander in the group's Al-Qassam Brigades.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that its forces, along with the Israel Security Agency (ISA), had targeted a senior member of Hamas's military wing. However, it did not disclose the target's identity in its initial statement.
A Palestinian security source told AFP that Younis, 53, who commanded the Rafah Brigade of the Al-Qassam Brigades, was killed in a strike targeting him in Al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis.
Gaza Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal confirmed that the agency had received Younis's body. He said two other people were injured in the strike.
The incident comes amid continued tensions over the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which came into effect in October 2025 following two years of war triggered by the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Although the US-backed agreement has largely reduced the intensity of fighting, Israel has continued to carry out strikes in the Gaza Strip.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began. The United Nations considers the ministry's casualty figures reliable. During the same period, the Israeli military has reported the deaths of seven soldiers and one civilian contractor.
Earlier, on November 13, at least six people, including a healthcare worker, patients and their companions, were killed in an Israeli strike on the surgical department of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. Another 27 people were injured, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The ministry said the attack targeted the hospital's surgical building and killed Dr Rizq Abu Shuaira. It described the strike as a violation of international protections for medical facilities, healthcare workers and patients, and called on the international community and United Nations bodies to intervene.