OMM Redaksiyası
An attempt to kill senior Hamas figure Ali al-Amoudi in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City likely failed, Israeli Army Radio reported Saturday evening.
“Assessments are leaning toward the failure of the attempt to assassinate Ali al-Amoudi, a prominent leader in Hamas’ political wing in Gaza, last night,” the radio said. Israeli Channel 12 reported that it was too early to reach a definitive conclusion, but Israel had been unable to confirm the attempt succeeded.
Al-Amoudi’s fate remains unclear
Earlier on Saturday, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that the army had targeted al-Amoudi in a strike overnight from Friday to Saturday. KAN described him as Hamas’ de facto leader in Gaza and a leading candidate to formally head the movement in the territory in anticipated secret internal elections.
Reports from Gaza indicated that five people had been killed, but al-Amoudi was not named among the fatalities. His fate remained unclear, according to the broadcaster.
Hamas sources told Anadolu Agency that al-Amoudi headed the movement’s media department and served on its political bureau before the war began on Oct. 8, 2023. After Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and his deputy Rawhi Mushtaha were killed in 2024, al-Amoudi became deputy to Khalil al-Hayya, then the movement’s leader in Gaza, the sources said.
After al-Hayya was elected head of Hamas’ political bureau in July 2026, al-Amoudi took responsibility for running the movement in Gaza as acting leader until a successor is elected, the sources added.
Five Palestinians killed in the strike
A medical source said an Israeli airstrike early Saturday hit a residential apartment in western Gaza City, killing five Palestinians, including four women, two of them Christians, and injuring six others.
The source identified those killed as Maysa Abu Daoud, 55, her daughter Maria Abu Daoud, 36, Yasmin al-Boubou, 48, Halloum al-Boubou, 23, and Bilal Ali Ouda, 20.
Casualties amid ceasefire violations
The strike came amid continuing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement in effect since Oct. 10, 2025. Gaza’s Health Ministry said the violations had killed 1,439 Palestinians and injured 5,052 as of Thursday.
According to Palestinian figures, Israeli attacks have killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and injured over 175,000 in Gaza since Oct. 8, 2023. The figures also say around 90% of the territory’s infrastructure has been destroyed.
