Israel confirmed the killing of senior Hamas military commander Rafa Salama, a mastermind of the October 7 attack that triggered the Gaza war. The strike was carried out by the Israeli air force on Saturday in the southern Gaza Strip, targeting Salama, who was the commander of Hamas’ Khan Yunis Brigade. The attack also aimed at Mohammed Deif, Hamas’ military chief.
Hamas stated that Deif was still alive and overseeing operations, contradicting Israeli claims. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted uncertainty about Deif’s fate. Salama was involved in planning the development of tunnels in the brigade and had a significant role in the 2006 abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
The attack resulted in a high number of casualties, with 92 people killed and over 300 injured in the Al-Mawasi camp. Salama was described as one of Deif’s closest associates and a key figure in the October 7 massacre. He joined Hamas in the 1990s and rose to become the commander of Khan Yunis Brigade in 2016.
The October 7 attack led to the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, and Israel’s military retaliation caused the deaths of at least 38,584 people in Gaza, primarily civilians.
