The Israel Defense Forces eliminated three senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization in an airstrike in central Gaza on Saturday, the military said on Monday.
The three were involved in rebuilding the group’s military capabilities and planning attacks against Israeli forces, according to the IDF.
Among those killed included Muhammad Atiya Hassan Abu Afash, head of PIJ’s Engineering and Specializations Array. The IDF described Abu Afash as a key figure responsible for developing the organization’s engineering capabilities and advancing attacks against Israeli troops.
Also killed was Farhat Zuhair Farhat Harara, deputy head of PIJ’s Engineering Array and a close associate of Abu Afash. The military said Harara worked alongside Abu Afash in overseeing the organization’s engineering operations.
The third operative killed was Abdallah Allah Riyad Masoud Qadoum, head of PIJ’s anti-tank missile array in northern Gaza.
According to the IDF, Qadoum was involved in directing numerous anti-tank attacks against Israeli forces in recent years.
The three operatives had continued to initiate attacks against Israeli troops despite the ceasefire agreement, according to the IDF, accusing PIJ of violating the truce while seeking to restore and expand its military infrastructure.
Two additional Islamic Jihad terrorists were killed on Monday in an IDF strike in the southern Gaza Strip, the military said on Tuesday.
The IDF identified the two PIJ terrorists as Iyad Muhammad Abd al-Aziz Nofal, a Nukhba commander; and Ahmad Abd al-Hamid Hamad Ma’arouf, head of a terrorist cell who carried out rocket fire attacks against Israel throughout the war.
“The two terrorists were planning to carry out imminent terror attacks against IDF troops and were eliminated in order to remove the threat,” the IDF said.
Before carrying out the strikes, the IDF took measures to minimize civilian casualties, including the use of precision-guided munitions and aerial surveillance.
Israeli troops operating under the Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue acting against immediate threats to Israeli forces and civilians.
