In a significant development, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the elimination of Hamas commander Wael Asafa, a key figure behind the October 7 attack. Asafa, who led Hamas’ Deir al-Balah Battalion, was responsible for coordinating the dispatch of numerous terrorists involved in abducting and targeting Israeli civilians.
This operation followed intelligence cooperation between the IDF and the Shin Bet internal security service. Notably, Wael Asafa had previously served a prison sentence from 1992 to 1998 for his involvement in terror activities against Israel. Israel’s intensified ground offensive in Gaza, initiated on October 27, has led to the elimination of several Hamas militants and the disruption of the group’s critical infrastructure.
Most recently, Mustafa Dalul, commander of Hamas’s Sabra Tel al-Hawa Battalion, was assassinated, and on November 4, an Israeli drone targeted the residence of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza.