Israel confirms death of Hamas weapons chief in Gaza strike; Who is Raad Saad?
Israeli authorities paint Saad as one of the primary "masterminds" behind the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, and describe him as "one of the last senior veterans remaining in the Gaza Strip."
Israeli forces have announced the targeted killing of Raad Saad, a high-ranking Hamas military official, in a strike conducted in Gaza on Saturday. Identified by Israel as a pivotal figure overseeing Hamas's extensive weapons production and development, Saad's death was confirmed alongside five other fatalities in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood, located southwest of Gaza City.
According to Israeli military statements, coordinated with the Shin Bet intelligence agency, the strike specifically targeted Hamas's production headquarters. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz, linked the operation to an earlier incident where Hamas allegedly detonated an explosive device, injuring Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip's "Yellow Zone." They further asserted that Saad was actively "engaged in rebuilding the terrorist organisation" in defiance of an existing ceasefire.
Israeli authorities paint Saad as one of the primary "masterminds" behind the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, and describe him as "one of the last senior veterans remaining in the Gaza Strip." He was reportedly a close associate of Marwan Issa, the deputy head of Hamas's military wing, and previously led the militant group's operations division before taking charge of manufacturing and weapons development. Israel stated that Hamas had been attempting to "restore its capabilities and strengthen itself" in recent weeks.
However, Hamas has not confirmed Raad Saad's death. The group issued a statement asserting that the Israeli airstrike hit a civilian vehicle outside Gaza City, classifying it as a "violation of the ceasefire" that came into effect on October 10. Palestinian medical sources and Gaza's civil defence agency supported the claim of a civilian vehicle being struck, reporting that it caught fire and killed everyone inside.
Casualty figures reported by various sources present discrepancies. While Israeli forces indicated Raad Saad and five others were killed, Gaza's health ministry initially reported four fatalities and at least 25 wounded. Al Jazeera Arabic cited at least five deaths. An Associated Press journalist observed four bodies arriving at Shifa Hospital, with Al-Awda Hospital reporting three wounded.