The Israeli army on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the death of a Hamas commander during a “large-scale” attack carried out overnight against the Palestinian Islamist group’s military infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.
An army spokesman said he was Taysir Mubasher, commander of a battalion in northern Khan Yunis and former head of Hamas’ naval forces.
Mubasher is the ninth high-ranking officer of the al-Qasam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, which Israel says it has killed in attacks in the Gaza Strip in the war against Islamist militias that dominate the enclave.
“He had extensive military experience as a commander, directing terrorist attacks, and is linked to senior Hamas officials, including Mohamed Deif, the supreme commander of Hamas’ military wing,” the spokesman said, quoted by the Spanish agency EFE.
Since the start of the current war on October 7, more than 300 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israel from the Khan Yunis area, which Mubasher commanded, in the southern half of the enclave.
According to the Israeli military, Mubasher was responsible for “numerous terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers,” including a 2019 bombing that killed five students.
Israel declared war on Hamas after the attack it suffered on October 7, which, according to Israeli authorities, left 1,400 dead.
The Palestinian group also kidnapped two hundred Israelis and foreigners and held them hostage in Gaza.
The Israeli army has been bombing Gaza ever since, leaving more than 5,800 dead, according to Hamas.
Overnight, Israel said it had dismantled Hamas’ military infrastructure, including tunnels, military barracks, weapons depots, mortar launchers and anti-tank missile launchers, according to a military statement.
Israel, the United States and the European Union classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Source: TSF
