Israel announces killing of new Hamas military chief

Mohammed Odeh was eliminated less than two weeks after the assassination of his predecessor, according to West Jerusalem

The recently appointed commander of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Odeh, has been killed in an airstrike in Gaza, the Israeli authorities have claimed.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue to carry out attacks on specific targets in Gaza despite a US-brokered ceasefire being in place in the Palestinian enclave since October 2025.

The announcement of Odeh’s assassination comes 11 days after the killing of his predecessor, Izz al-Din al-Haddad.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday that Odeh “was responsible for the murder, abduction, and wounding of many Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers.”

According to the statement, the slain Hamas commander was in charge of the armed group’s intelligence staff during its incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 people being killed and 250 others taken hostage. Since then, 85 captives have died, with the rest being returned to Israel.

Read more

The IDF’s military campaign in Gaza, launched in response to the attack by Hamas, has left more than 72,000 people dead and over 172,000 wounded, according to the Palestinian health authorities. Around 900 of those deaths came during the ceasefire.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Odeh was “sent to meet his partners in the depths of hell.”

“We pledged to eliminate everyone who led the October 7 massacre... They are all marked for death, everywhere,” Katz wrote on X.

Hamas hasn’t yet confirmed the death of its military chief, but Palestinian media reported that he was killed together with his wife and sons.

Gaza’s civil defense agency said at least seven people were killed in Israeli strikes on Tuesday, including five in a single attack near the Maghazi refugee camp in the central part of the enclave.

READ MORE: Netanyahu orders Israeli military to intensify Lebanon attacks

Israel’s Channel 12 reported last month that, according to an assessment by the IDF, Hamas was able to “significantly” rebuild itself during the ceasefire. According to a document seen by the broadcaster, the group largely regained its military capabilities and recruited more operatives, while also taking charge of the destitution of goods arriving in the enclave.