On October 8, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that its troops killed Hisham al-Saedni, the Hamas leader responsible for the October 7 attack against an IDF position near the Gaza border. The attack left four IDF soldiers injured.
Al-Saedni, also known as “The Shadow”, was the head of Hamas’ military wing in Gaza and was responsible for overseeing and ordering numerous rocket attacks against Israel since 2018. In particular, Hamas was responsible for launching rockets into Israel in May of 2019 which resulted in retaliatory airstrikes by the Israeli military.
The IDF confirmed that their troops had killed al-Saedni during an operation to locate and arrest him on the night of October 7. IDF officials said that al-Saedni was targeted and killed during a shoot-out after they tracked him down in the vicinity of Khan Younis in Gaza.
Following the news of al-Saedni’s death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the IDF for taking out the Hamas leader. “I applaud the operation of our forces that led to the loss of one of the most dangerous terrorists,” Netanyahu said.
The IDF is continuing to conduct operations in the Gaza Strip to try to prevent further rocket attacks. In particular, the IDF has said that it is working to target Hamas’ rocket launch sites and destroy stockpiles of rockets.
The news of al-Saedni’s death has further highlighted the tense situation along the Israel-Gaza border. Hamas had vowed revenge for al-Saedni’s death, and on October 10, the organization launched a barrage of rockets into southern Israel. No injuries or damages were reported, but the attack served as a reminder of the threat that Hamas still poses to Israeli security.
The targeted killing of al-Saedni marks a significant shift in Israeli tactics against Hamas. By striking at the individual responsible for the October 7 attack, the IDF is sending a powerful message to those in the organization who may be considering engaging in future attacks against Israel. Whether this action will discourage further attacks by Hamas remains to be seen.
