The IDF confirmed that an airstrike in the Deir al-Balah area over the weekend, it eliminated the terrorist Mahmoud Fatair, a Nukhba commander in the Islamic Jihad's Central Gaza Brigade.
The terrorist infiltrated Israeli territory on October 7th and took part in holding Rom Braslavski hostage in the custody of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.
In November 2023, as part of the sixth phase of the hostage release agreement, the terrorist was documented wearing the Islamic Jihad uniform while participating in the hostage handover ceremony of numerous hostages, including Amit Shani, Ofir Engel, Moran Stela Yanai, Itay Regev, Liam Or-Nassar, Raz Ben Ami, Rantin Phaiboon, Gong Sae Lao, Seekena Jakkapan, and Saegkaew Charoemchai.
According to the military, the terrorist recently attempted to advance terror attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians and was eliminated in order to remove the threat.
The IDF noted that before the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance.
Rom Braslavski reacted to the elimination of his captor with a video in which he says in Arabic: "The Israeli military just killed another one of those who ruined my soul. Indeed, you were criminals, and indeed, I was weak when I was with you. You did everything you wanted. But now, as you see, they are eliminating you one after the other. With G-d's help, every one of you, everyone who worked for the Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and every terrorist organization, will die one after the other."
He added, "Don't think you're strong because of these things. Thank you to the IDF and thank you to all the good people in the State of Israel. Am Israel chai. As it says in the Torah: 'An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.'"
