Israel says Hamas sniper cell commander killed in Khan Younis strike

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) said they killed a Hamas sniper cell commander in an airstrike in the Khan Younis area of the Gaza Strip.

In a joint statement, the Israeli military and security agency identified the man as Moamen Jabr Al-Sayed Abu Labda, whom they described as the head of a sniper cell in Hamas’ Rafah Brigade, Caliber.Az reports.

According to the statement, Abu Labda was involved in sniper training across the Gaza Strip and was focused on attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF personnel operating near the so-called Yellow Line.

The Israeli authorities said he had recently attempted to rebuild Hamas’ operational capabilities, which they described as a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

The IDF and ISA said the strike was carried out on September 10 and that measures were taken beforehand to reduce the risk to civilians, including aerial surveillance and the use of what they described as precision-guided munitions.

Israeli forces under Southern Command remain deployed in the area and will continue operations against what the military describes as immediate security threats, the statement said.