Senior Hamas Commander who directed terror attacks in Judea, Samaria killed in airstrike, confirms Israel

The Israel Defense Force (IDF), on Thursday, i.e., August 8, announced that senior Hamas commander Nael Sakhl, who directed terror attacks in Judea and Samaria, had been killed in an airstrike in July. 

The IDF confirmed that it received intelligence verifying that Nael Sakhl was killed in an airstrike on July 24.

According to a report by Rescuers Without Borders, more than 3,200 acts of Palestinian terror in Judea and Samaria were carried out during the first half of 2024. The figure shows an average of 545 attacks each month.

Nael Sakhl operated in Hamas' 'West Bank Headquarters,' for over 10 years. He directed terror activities in Judea and Samaria. According to the IDF, Sakhl was also involved in financing and supplying weapons to the terror cells planning to carry out attacks against civilians and soldiers.

Sakhl, who had been serving his jail terms in connection with 2003 suicide bombing case, was released by Israel in 2011 in exchange fo a soldier of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) held captive for more than five years by Hamas. Along with him, Yahya Sinwar, who is the newly appointed chief of the Gaza-based Islamist group, was also freed by Israel. 

Earlier in July, Ismail Haniyeh, the former Chief of Hamas, was eliminated in a military operation carried out by Israel in Iran's capital Tehran. 

Haniyeh was killed along with his bodyguards in the military operation in Tehran, leading to soaring regional tensions during the Israel-Hamas war.

The ongoing Israel-Hamas war was triggered by the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas, killing nearly 1200 people and taking around 252 civilians hostage. In retaliation, Israel also launched a military operation against Hamas. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has, meanwhile, vowed to catch newly appointed Hamas Chief Yahya Sinawar, either 'dead or alive'. 

With inputs from ANI.