Gaza, September 1, 2025: Israel says it has martyred Abu Obeida, the spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing, in an airstrike on Gaza City. Hamas has not confirmed the claim.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz hailed the strike as a “flawless execution,” crediting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet intelligence agency. A joint statement said the operation was enabled by “prior intelligence” that pinpointed Obeida’s location.
Local journalists reported that at least seven people, including children, were killed and 20 wounded in the attack on the densely populated al-Rimal neighbourhood. Hamas said dozens of civilians were among the dead and injured when Israeli strikes hit a residential building.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos. “The blasts were terrifying – I couldn’t move for more than an hour,” said Mohammed Emad, a nearby shop owner. “I saw injured children with blood covering their faces, people running in every direction as if the world had ended.”
According to Israeli officials, five missiles struck the second and third floors of a six-storey building that housed a dentist’s clinic. Obeida, always masked in public appearances, had been the face of Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades, delivering lengthy statements and threats against Israel since the group’s October 7, 2023, attack.
In what may have been his final address on Friday, Obeida warned that Israeli hostages would share the fate of Hamas fighters if Israel launched its planned offensive on Gaza City.
Israel’s strikes come as preparations intensify for a ground operation aimed at seizing Gaza City. The UN and international allies have warned of “catastrophic consequences” for civilians and hostages if Israel proceeds. Nearly one million people remain in the city, where infrastructure is already devastated and more than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed.
Since the conflict began in October 2023, more than 63,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. Israel launched its campaign after Hamas’s attack on southern Israel left about 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage.
