Israel killed a senior commander of Hamas on Saturday after the terrorist group detonated an explosive device that wounded two Israeli soldiers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced they directed a strike to eliminate Raed Saad, one of the top two military leaders in Gaza.
“Saad was one of the architects of the October 7 massacre, and in recent days had been engaged in rehabilitating the terrorist organization and in planning and carrying out attacks against Israel and rebuilding an attack force in blatant violation of the ceasefire rules and Hamas’s commitments to adhere to President Trump’s plan,” the prime minister’s office said on X.
“Instead of promoting demilitarization, he was engaged in rearming for acts of terrorism,” it added.
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Saad was the topmost Hamas commander who was killed by the Israeli military since the first phase of a ceasefire went into effect in October. He was in a vehicle at the time of the precise airstrike, according to a video posted by the Israel Defense Forces.
ELIMINATED: Ra’ad Sa’ad, Head of the Weapons Production Headquarters of Hamas’ Military Wing and One of the Architects of the Brutal October 7th Massacre
Sa’ad was one of the last remaining veteran senior militants in the Gaza Strip and a close associate of Marwan Issa, the… pic.twitter.com/nIa1VUqryI
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 13, 2025
“In recent months, Sa’ad played a leading role in Hamas’ military wing, including direct involvement in violating the ceasefire agreement. He also oversaw the continued production of weapons in the Gaza Strip during the ceasefire period,” the IDF said. “His elimination significantly degrades Hamas’ ability to reestablish its capabilities.”
In response, Hamas said a civilian vehicle was destroyed west of Gaza City but did not confirm whether Saad was killed. The terrorist organization is known for not distinguishing between civilian and militant casualties.
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Hours before the fatal strike, Hamas wounded two IDF reserve soldiers during an operation in southern Gaza. They were taken to the hospital to receive medical treatment. Netanyahu and Katz wished them well on their road to recovery.
The prime minister’s office said the attack took place in the yellow area of the Gaza Strip that was drawn up by President Donald Trump’s peace deal. Both sides have accused the other of ceasefire violations since October. Israel says the second phase of the peace plan is imminent.