Israel says Hamas Northern Gaza brigade commander killed

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) have said in a joint statement that they killed Izz al-Din Bik, commander of Hamas’ Northern Gaza Brigade, in a strike in northern Gaza overnight on September 29.

According to the statement shared on IDF’s Telegram page, Bik had served as commander of the brigade’s military wing since the killing of Ahmed Ghandour, Caliber.Az reports.

He had previously served as the brigade’s military intelligence chief.

The Israeli security agencies made clear that Bik was responsible for managing the activities of Hamas fighters in the brigade and directing attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians.

They also claimed he had been working to rebuild the brigade’s capabilities, which had been significantly damaged during the war.

The IDF and ISA described Bik as an immediate threat to Israeli forces and civilians and said he was killed in a targeted aerial strike.

The statement noted that measures were taken before the strike to reduce the risk to civilians, including the use of precision-guided munitions and aerial surveillance.

The Israeli security forces further stated that they remain deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue operations against what they describe as immediate threats.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov