Chief of Hamas Khan Younis Brigade Confirmed Killed

Latest Developments​

Israel confirmed on July 14 that Hamas’s Khan Younis brigade commander died in an Israeli airstrike executed the day prior. Rafa’a Salameh — targeted along with Hamas military chief Muhammed Deif — died in the July 13 attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet said in a joint statement. However, Deif’s condition remained unclear.

Salameh had been a member of Hamas since the early 1990s. According to the IDF, he “played a significant role” in operations such as the cross-border abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006. During the 2014 Gaza war, Salameh served as commander of Hamas’s “combat support and defensive plans,” the IDF said. In 2016, Salameh took over the Khan Younis Brigade from Mohammed Sinwar, brother of Hamas’s Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar and a senior officer in Hamas’s armed wing. Both Mohammed and Yahya Sinwar remain at large.

On October 7, Hamas had five regional brigades in the Gaza Strip. Salameh is the third of five brigade commanders to be killed over the course of the war, with two still at large, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Expert Analysis​

“While armchair wags repeatedly say ‘you can’t kill an idea,’ the reality is that you can destroy that idea’s most dangerous capabilities. Salameh was one of the key architects of the October 7 attacks and one of Hamas’s five brigade commanders. His elimination is a big win for the IDF and the Shin Bet. Now, we will wait to see if his partner-in-terror and the military commander of Hamas, Muhammed Deif, has met the same fate.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“The killing of Khan Younis Brigade commander, Rafa’a Salameh, is a tactical victory for Israel and a blow to Hamas. This development has two consequences. First, it brings some justice to the families of the victims of the October 7 massacre. Second, it may have a psychological impact on the remaining Hamas leaders in Gaza, potentially creating a sense of unease and vulnerability that could influence their decision-making.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

Related Analysis

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“Top Hamas Terror Commander Eliminated in Gaza,” FDD Flash Brief

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