Samir Abu Younis, commander of the Hamas brigade in Rafah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip, sources from the Palestinian group told Reuters. Hamas’s armed wing identified Abu Younis as a 53-year-old senior commander who took part in planning and directing the execution of the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The strike was carried out in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. According to medics, Abu Younis was killed and other people were wounded. Palestinian sources said the attack hit a location where the commander had been hiding.
The Israeli army and the Shin Bet internal security service confirmed that they had carried out a strike against a senior figure in Hamas’s military wing, but initially did not disclose the target’s name. In their joint statement, the target was described as “a senior terrorist in Hamas’s military wing.”
The change of command in Rafah
Abu Younis took command of the brigade in Rafah less than two months before his death. He succeeded Nael Abu Obaid, whom Israeli authorities said had been killed in an airstrike in September 2026.
The Rafah brigade is part of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades — Hamas’s military wing. Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted commanders of the group’s regional brigades in the southern Gaza Strip.
Strikes despite the ceasefire
The ceasefire reached in October 2025 halted large-scale fighting but did not end Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip. According to Gaza health authorities, at least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began. Five Israeli servicemen were reported killed during the same period.
Israel says it continues to strike Hamas commanders and fighters who, according to the authorities, are rebuilding the group’s military capabilities and preparing new attacks. Hamas, for its part, has not announced any change in its position regarding the weaponry and structure of its military wing.
Sources: wncy.com, timesofisrael.com, ynetnews.com