Israel says Hamas commander tied to October 7 abductions killed PHOTO

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) say they have killed Muhammad Na’im Jandiya, a Hamas militant who they allege was involved in the abduction of Captain Daniel Perez and in holding hostages Yotam Chaim, Samer Al-Talalka and Alon Shamriz during the war.

According to the IDF, Jandiya, identified as the head of military security in Hamas' Shuja'iyya Battalion, was killed in an airstrike carried out in northern Gaza on July 1, Caliber.Az reports.

The Israeli military said he commanded a Nukhba unit that infiltrated Kibbutz Nahal Oz during the October 7 attack and participated in the abduction of the late Captain Daniel Perez.

The IDF further alleged that Jandiya was responsible for guarding Yotam Chaim, Samer Al-Talalka and Alon Shamriz while they were held in an underground tunnel controlled by Hamas' Shuja'iyya Battalion.

Israeli authorities also accused him of helping coordinate attacks against IDF forces operating in the Gaza Strip in recent months as part of his senior position within the battalion.

The military made it clear that Jandiya was also among the masked Hamas operatives who appeared during hostage handover ceremonies conducted under previous hostage exchange agreements.

According to the IDF, precautions were taken before the strike to minimise civilian casualties, including the use of precision-guided munitions and aerial surveillance.

The IDF added that troops under its Southern Command remain deployed in the area in line with the ceasefire agreement and will continue operations against what it described as immediate threats.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov