Israel Expresses ‘Cautious Optimism’ Over Strike Targeting Hamas Military Spokesman Abu Obaida By The Media Line Staff Israeli officials said Saturday evening expressed ‘cautious optimism’ that a precision airstrike in Gaza City may have killed Abu Obaida, the longtime spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing and one of the most visible figures of the group. Confirmation […]
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The Media Line: Israel Expresses ‘Cautious Optimism’ Over Strike Targeting Hamas Military Spokesman Abu Obaida
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Israel Expresses ‘Cautious Optimism’ Over Strike Targeting Hamas Military Spokesman Abu Obaida
By The Media Line Staff
Israeli officials said Saturday evening expressed ‘cautious optimism’ that a precision airstrike in Gaza City may have killed Abu Obaida, the longtime spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing and one of the most visible figures of the group. Confirmation of his fate remained unclear, but security sources describe the outcome as “positive” and “looking good.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet security agency issued a joint statement saying the strike was carried out in the Rimal neighborhood under the Southern Command and directed by Military Intelligence. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the attack destroyed a site where senior Hamas operatives had gathered.
Abu Obaida, born Hudayfa Samir Abdallah al-Kahlout, has served for years as the masked voice of Hamas’s military wing, delivering statements on television, often through Al Jazeera. He has become a symbol for Hamas supporters, nicknamed “the man in the mask,” while also drawing the attention of Israeli intelligence. The IDF publicly revealed his identity at the start of the current war, accusing him of hiding behind civilians and operating from tunnels.
Hamas, in response, claimed the Israeli strike hit a residential building and caused “dozens of deaths and injuries.” The group denounced the attack as part of a campaign to “destroy Gaza City” and appealed to international and regional actors to intervene.
The IDF stressed that the strike used precision-guided munitions and extensive surveillance to minimize civilian harm. It accused Hamas of systematically embedding its leadership within civilian areas and using residents as human shields.
This is not the first attempt on Abu Obaida’s life. In May, Israeli forces targeted a meeting in Khan Yunis that killed senior Hamas commander Mohammed Sinwar; at the time, Israel assessed that Abu Obaida had been alongside him.
The latest strike comes as Israel prepares for broader ground operations in Gaza City. On Friday, a Namer armored personnel carrier was struck by an explosive in the Zeitoun neighborhood, wounding seven Israeli soldiers.
If Abu Obaida was indeed killed, it would mark one of Israel’s most significant blows against Hamas leadership since the start of the conflict.