The highest-ranking member of the Palestinian armed group „Hamas“ in the Gaza Strip has survived an Israeli airstrike carried out over the weekend. This was confirmed by Israeli forces after media reports emerged about his fate, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
Israeli public television „Kan“ reported that the man was Ali al-Omari. According to the media, he is considered a leading candidate in the planned secret elections for the leadership of „Hamas“ in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military has described him as the deputy chairman of the group's political bureau in Gaza.
At least five people were killed in the Israeli attack, Palestinian emergency services said. Medical sources at the Ash Shifa hospital in Gaza City said at least five people were wounded, some of them seriously. The strike targeted an apartment in a residential building in the western part of the city.
According to the Israeli military, Al-Omari was the "right-hand man and personal assistant" of former Palestinian Islamist movement leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip in October 2024.
When the information was initially released, the Israeli military gave the man's name as Ali Ahmed al-Amoudi. It is unclear what caused the discrepancy in the names.
The Israeli army claims that Al-Omari "participated in the decision-making for the massacre of October 7, 2023."
According to Israel, the strike was carried out while Al-Omari was in an apartment used by "Hamas" for terrorist activities. These claims cannot be independently confirmed.
The Israeli forces' statement also stated that Al-Omari was "directly involved in terrorist activities and in the reconstruction of the group." The army added that the aim of the operation was to "eliminate the threat."