Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel had carried out a strike on Abu Obeida, the masked spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.
“We have struck the Hamas spokesman, the spokesman for this criminal and murderous organisation, Abu Obeida,” Netanyahu said during a government meeting. “I hope he is no longer with us, but I notice that there is no one on the Hamas side to clarify this matter,” he added.
Abu Obeida has been the voice of Hamas for years, appearing in video statements wearing military fatigues and a red scarf to hide his face. There has been no confirmation from Hamas about his death. The group warned against spreading “rumors” about its members, calling Israeli claims a “psychological war aimed at destabilizing the internal front.”
The strike came as Israel intensified its attacks on Gaza City and surrounding areas. Local reports and footage showed apartment blocks hit by air raids, with children among the dead and injured. Witnesses said Israeli forces also opened fire on tents sheltering displaced families, killing at least one child.
The war in Gaza has now entered its 23rd month. Israel says it has killed several top Hamas leaders, including political chief Ismail Haniyeh, armed wing head Mohammed Deif, and Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar, whom it accuses of planning the October 7, 2023 attack. On Sunday, Hamas confirmed the death of Mohammed Sinwar, a senior commander, more than three months after Israel claimed he was killed in an airstrike.
According to Gaza health authorities, at least 63,459 Palestinians have been killed and more than 160,000 wounded since Israel’s offensive began. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed during the October 7 attacks, and about 200 others were taken hostage.
