Top Hamas military commander Mohammed Odeh killed in Israeli airstrike
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Hamas said Odeh, along with his wife and two sons, died in the strike.
KATHMANDU: Gaza-based armed group Hamas has officially confirmed that Mohammed Odeh, the newly appointed commander-in-chief of its military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday evening.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Hamas said Odeh, along with his wife and two sons, died in the strike.
The group condemned the attack, calling it a “grave violation of human values, norms, laws, and divine principles.”
According to the statement, Odeh had been active in the group’s military operations for more than 30 years and was considered one of the early founders of its armed structure.
He played a key role in planning, preparation, and the development of defensive strategies during various phases of the Israel–Hamas conflict.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had earlier confirmed Odeh’s death in an official statement.
Odeh had reportedly been appointed military chief only about a week earlier, succeeding Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who was killed in an Israeli strike on May 15.
Since the outbreak of the war on Oct 7, 2023, the Gaza Strip conflict has seen Israel intensify strikes targeting senior Hamas political and military leaders, with reports indicating significant losses within the group’s top leadership.
