| Assassination of Abu Obaida | |
|---|---|
| Part of the2025 Gaza City offensive and theGaza war | |
  Rimal | |
| Location | Rimal,Gaza City,Gaza Strip |
| Date | 30 August 2025 |
| Target | Abu Obaida |
Attack type | Airstrikes |
| Deaths | 11+ |
| Injured | 20+ |
| Perpetrator |  Israel Defense Forces |
On 30 August 2025,Abu Obaida, aPalestinian militant and thespokesperson for theAl-Qassam Brigades waskilled by Israeli airstrikes targeted at theRimal neighborhood inGaza City.[1][2]
Abu Obaida had served as the spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades since 2007. He was described as "the central figure of al-Qassam's media campaign."[3] He was one ofHamas's best known representatives in theArab world, frequently appearing in videos disseminated by Hamas masked in a red-checkeredPalestinian keffiyeh and threatenedIsrael with dire consequences. Israel and theUnited States named him Huthayfa al-Kahlout, although this was never confirmed by Hamas.[4]
Amid the2025 Gaza City offensive, Abu Obaida threatened Israel on 29 August that it would "pay the price" with "its soldiers' blood" if it sought to conquer Gaza City.[4]
11 people, including children, were reportedly killed in the strikes, while another 20 were injured. The attack was targeted at anapartment building which Obaida was taking shelter in.[5]Times of Israel reported that Abu Obaida's wife and children were with him inside his apartment at the time of the Israeli attack and that it is "likely" that his "entire family" was killed.[6]
Five missiles struck the second and third floors of the six-story apartment in the Rimal neighborhood. Reportedly, hundreds of thousands of dollars flew in the air following the strikes, causing large sums to be stolen before being recovered byHamas.[7]
Witnesses on the ground reported children being killed and injured.[7]Al Jazeera English posted a video of the aftermath, showing young children maimed by the attack.[8]
Israeli defense ministerIsrael Katz said that theIsrael Defense Forces had killed Abu Obaida, calling it a "flawless execution." The IDF andShin Bet said in a joint statement that the operation had been "made possible due to prior intelligence gathered by Shin Bet and the IDF's Intelligence Directorate" and said that Abu Obaida "served as the public face of the Hamas terrorist organization" and "disseminated Hamas' propaganda."[7]
Hamas has not commented on the statement or confirmed the assassination.[4]
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| Targets in the Gaza Strip |
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