Israel said on Wednesday that it had killed Mohammed Odeh, the head of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, in an air strike on Gaza City, as violence continued despite an October "ceasefire" agreement.
Israeli authorities said the strike took place late Tuesday in the Remal neighbourhood, a busy commercial district where residents were preparing for the Eid al-Adha holiday.
Hamas did not immediately issue an official response, though local Hamas sources and family members cited by media reports said Odeh, his wife and their adult son were killed in the attack.
Local medics and witnesses said several other Palestinians were also killed and dozens injured after multiple missiles struck the upper floors of the al-Kayali building in central Gaza City.
The Israeli military and Shin Bet security service said the operation followed months of intelligence monitoring aimed at tracking Odeh and his associates.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described Odeh as a senior Hamas commander and said he had been “eliminated” in the strike.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Odeh was “one of the architects of the October 7 massacre”.
The Israeli military also alleged that Odeh played a role in planning and coordinating Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in 2023.
Odeh reportedly succeeded Izz ad-Din al-Haddad as commander of the Qassam Brigades after Haddad was killed in another Israeli strike earlier this month, though Hamas never formally confirmed the appointment.
The strike came amid continuing tensions despite a "ceasefire" that took effect in October.
Residents and rescue workers described scenes of heavy destruction in the crowded Remal district, where emergency crews struggled to reach damaged upper floors because of debris and congestion.
Palestinian health authorities said more than 900 people had been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire began.
Israel has maintained that it will continue targeting Hamas members, while Hamas has repeatedly accused Israel of violating the truce and attacking civilians.
Israeli officials also said negotiations tied to a broader US-backed peace plan for Gaza remained stalled, particularly over the issue of Hamas disarmament.
The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 72,800 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began following the October 7 attacks.