Israel kills Hamas commander, yet Hebrew media admits assassination strategy failing

Israel has killed senior Hamas commander Izz al-Din al-Beik in northern Gaza, as Israeli media acknowledges that the regime’s campaign of assassinations has failed to prevent the Palestinian resistance group from rebuilding its military and organizational structures.

Al-Beik was assassinated early Tuesday in an Israeli strike on an apartment building in Gaza City’s Nasser neighborhood, according to medics and Hamas sources.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and minister for military affairs Israel Katz said in a joint post on X that Israeli forces had killed al-Beik.

Al-Beik had taken command of the Qassam Brigades in northern Gaza during Israel’s war on the territory, succeeding senior commander Ahmed al-Ghandour.

A Hebrew-language analysis published by Israel Hayom said Hamas has been able to appoint replacements for senior commanders, with deputies and other experienced figures positioned to assume leadership when commanders are killed.

The report said Mohammed Yazouri, who served as a Hamas commander in Khan Younis, had previously held several senior positions, including deputy brigade commander, battalion commander and head of an intelligence unit. Naael Abu Obeid, identified as Hamas’s commander in Rafah, had likewise served as a deputy brigade commander and battalion commander.

The pattern indicates that Israel’s targeted killings have not been sufficient to dismantle Hamas’s command structure, as the organization has maintained a pool of experienced commanders capable of assuming senior positions.

Israel’s military aggression eliminated many members of Hamas’s older leadership generation, including Mohammed Deif, Ahmed al-Ghandour, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, Mohammed Sinwar and Marwan Issa. Yet the report acknowledged that Hamas now has a new generation of commanders who have gained extensive battlefield experience during the years of fighting.

The developments have renewed questions inside Israel over whether the policy of targeted killings can prevent Hamas from regenerating its military and organizational capabilities.

The report also acknowledged that Hamas has retained elements of its operational and organizational capacity despite the scale of Israel’s military aggression.

At the same time, the report pointed to growing regional calls for Hamas to surrender its weapons. The United States, Egypt, and several Persian Gulf states have demanded that the group transfer its weapons to another authority.

Hamas, however, has reportedly agreed only to the transfer of heavy weapons while insisting on retaining small arms, which would allow it to maintain its presence and influence on the ground and protect itself against potential attacks by rival armed groups in Gaza.

Israeli settlers torch vehicles, target Palestinian-American's home in West Bank raid

Armed Israeli settlers attack the home of a Palestinian-American in the occupied West Bank and set three vehicles on fire.

The continued rebuilding of Hamas has therefore raised renewed questions inside Israel over the outcome of the campaign and whether targeted killings can prevent the Palestinian group from regenerating its leadership and capabilities.

The developments have also prompted renewed calls in Israel for an investigative committee to examine the failures surrounding the October 7 attack and the subsequent course and outcome of the war.

Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian property

Meanwhile, Israeli settlers blocked roads, set fire to buildings and vehicles, and threw stones at Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank village of Jalud overnight, according to Israeli authorities.

The Israeli military said three police officers were injured and two suspects were detained for questioning.

Officers “will enter the area to collect findings and evidence as part of the investigation that has been launched,” the military said.

Since October 2023, the occupied West Bank has experienced a rise in assaults by the Israeli army and settlers. These attacks have resulted in the deaths and abduction of thousands of Palestinians.

Addressing the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York last Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that Israeli violence, forced displacement and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank are undermining prospects for peace and raising the “specter of ethnic cleansing.”

According to official Palestinian figures, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,206 Palestinians, including 254 children, and wounded about 13,350 others since Israel launched its genocidal war in Gaza in October 2023.

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