Targeted Attack in Gaza City

Israel has announced that it carried out a targeted strike in Gaza City on Saturday that resulted in the death of a senior Hamas military figure. According to a joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Shin Bet security agency, the operation struck a vehicle carrying Raed Saad, a top commander within Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades.

Israeli authorities said Saad oversaw weapons manufacturing for Hamas and was one of the organisation’s most influential military leaders in Gaza.

Key Role in October 7 Attacks

Saad was widely regarded as a central figure in Hamas’s military hierarchy and is believed to have commanded several brigades during the 7 October 2023 assault on Israeli communities near Gaza City.

Israeli officials said he was responsible for the deaths of numerous Israeli soldiers, particularly through the use of improvised explosive devices deployed during fighting inside the Gaza Strip.

Casualties and Local Accounts

The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported that the strike killed four people in total. Spokesman Mahmoud Basal told the BBC that several bystanders were also wounded when the vehicle was hit.

A local Hamas source said Saad’s aide and another official, identified as Abu Imad al-Laban, were among those killed. Independent verification of these claims remains impossible, as international media are barred by Israel from operating freely inside Gaza.

A Longstanding Target

Raed Saad had been on Israel’s most-wanted list for years. Israeli forces are believed to have attempted to kill or capture him multiple times over the past two decades.

One of the most notable attempts occurred in March 2024, during a surprise Israeli raid in Gaza City. At the time, intelligence sources suggested Saad narrowly escaped shortly before Israeli troops stormed the targeted location.

Strike Amid Fragile Ceasefire

The attack took place on the Palestinian-controlled side of the so-called Yellow Line, which has divided Gaza since a fragile US-backed ceasefire came into force on 10 October.

Israeli forces currently control areas east of the line, accounting for just over half of the Gaza Strip, while tensions remain high despite the truce.

Leadership Vacuum and Military Council

Saad was believed to be a member of a newly formed five-person Hamas military leadership council created after the ceasefire began. His death is expected to further destabilise Hamas’s command structure in Gaza.

War Toll and Hostage Issue

The first phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for the region focused on the return of hostages taken during the October 7 attack, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 abducted.

All hostages have since been returned except for the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, who is believed to have died while fighting Hamas militants.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says that more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations since the war began.

Next Phase of Trump’s Plan

Diplomatic attention is now shifting to the second stage of President Trump’s proposal, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas and the de-radicalisation of Gaza.

The plan envisions Gaza being administered by a temporary technocratic Palestinian committee under international oversight, with security provided by an International Stabilisation Force. The long-term goal is a return of control to a reformed Palestinian Authority and eventual Israeli withdrawal.

Political Uncertainty Ahead

Many aspects of the proposal remain controversial, particularly in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently rejected the idea of a Palestinian state.

Trump is scheduled to meet Netanyahu in Washington on 29 December to discuss the future of the plan, amid escalating tensions and renewed violence on the ground.