Israel kills Hamas commander who helped mastermind October 7 attacks in targeted strike on Gaza camp

Detailed summary

Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades military wing confirmed Samir Abu Younis's death and the IDF have said 'steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians' when planning the strike.

Published: 09:51 GMT, 15 November 2026 | Updated: 10:17 GMT, 15 November 2026

Israel has assassinated one of the senior Hamas commanders behind the October 7 attacks in a targeted strike in Gaza.

Samir Abu Younis helped to plan and oversee the October 7 attack in 2023 which saw nearly 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage, triggering the latest conflict in the region.

The newly appointed commander of the Rafah Brigade died in a targeted attack on a refugee camp in Al-Mawasi in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday.

Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades military wing confirmed his death and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have said 'steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians' when planning the strike, which included 'the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance'.

Nearly 75,000 people have been killed in Palestine since the conflict started, with 64,000 children killed or injured in Gaza according to Unicef.

Four missiles are said to have struck a tent in the Al-Waha camp which sheltered hundreds of displaced Palestinians and led to a fire breaking out, according to witnesses.

Three injured people and a dead body are reported to have subsequently arrived at Nasser hospital.

Israel has previously said it maintains the right to occasionally strike Hamas militants following a brief ceasefire agreement last October.

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