IDF soldiers in Gaza
IDF soldiers in GazaIDF spokesperson

The IDF and ISA on Thursday announced that approximately three months ago, in a joint IDF and ISA strike in the Gaza Strip, several top Hamas politicians were eliminated.

According to the statement, the eliminated terrorists included Rawhi Mushtaha, the Head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip; Sameh al-Siraj, who held the security portfolio on Hamas' political bureau and Hamas' Labor Committee; and Sami Oudeh, Commander of Hamas' General Security Mechanism.

During a precise IDF and ISA intelligence-based strike, IAF fighter jets struck and eliminated the terrorists while they were hiding in a fortified and equipped underground compound in the northern Gaza Strip. The compound served as a Hamas command and control center and enabled senior operatives to remain inside of it for extended periods of time.

The compound was managed by senior members of Hamas' General Security Mechanism and functioned as a hideout for the Hamas leadership, led by Mushtaha.

Following the strike on the compound and the elimination of the terrorists, Hamas did not announce their deaths as it had done following previous eliminations, in order to prevent loss of morale and functioning of its terror operatives.

Rawhi Mushtaha was one of Hamas' most senior operatives and had a direct impact on decisions relating to Hamas' force deployment. Mushtaha was involved in military decisions while also acting as the Head of Hamas Civil Governance in the Gaza Strip and holding the Prisoners Affairs Portfolio. He also formerly held the finance portfolio.

Mushtaha, alongside Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, established Hamas' General Security Mechanism. They served a prison sentence together in an Israeli jail. Mushtaha was considered to be the most senior figure in the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, and during the war maintained civil control of the Hamas regime, while simultaneously engaging in terrorist activity against Israel. Mushtaha was Sinwar's right-hand man and one of his closest associates.

"The IDF and ISA will continue to pursue all of the terrorists responsible for the October 7th massacre and will operate against anyone who threatens the State of Israel," the joint statement concluded.