IDF strike kills three senior Islamic Jihad terrorists in Gaza Strip, military confirms

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Monday that it had conducted a strike in the central Gaza Strip, killing three senior terrorists from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The military identified the deceased as Muhammad Atiya Hassan Abu Afash, Farhat Zuhair Farhat Harara, and Abdallah Allah Riyadh Masoud Qadoum.

According to the IDF, Abu Afash held the position of head of PIJ's Engineering and Specializations Array. In this role, he was responsible for advancing the terror group's engineering capabilities and was extensively involved in planning and executing terror attacks against IDF soldiers. Harara served as Abu Afash's deputy within the same engineering array.

Abdallah Allah Riyadh Masoud Qadoum was identified as the head of PIJ's anti-tank missile array for the northern sector of the Gaza Strip. The military stated that Qadoum had advanced numerous anti-tank attacks against the IDF in recent years.

The IDF asserted that all three individuals were actively working to advance attacks against Israel and IDF soldiers, thereby violating the existing ceasefire agreement. The military further claimed that their activities included rebuilding PIJ's terror infrastructure and capabilities to carry out future attacks, particularly in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, massacre.