Airstrike in Gaza City comes less than two weeks after predecessor’s killing, amid ongoing civilian suffering under a fragile ceasefire.

Israel says it has killed Mohammed Odeh, the newly appointed head of Hamas’ military wing, in an airstrike on Gaza City on the eve of Eid al-Adha, deepening grief in a territory where most residents remain displaced and dependent on aid after nearly two years of war.

Israel Claims Fourth Hamas Military Chief Killed
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that airstrikes carried out a day earlier killed Mohammed Odeh, whom he described as “one of the architects” of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. Katz said this was the fourth time Israel had killed the head of Hamas’ military wing since the assault. Odeh’s predecessor, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, was reported killed on May 16. The Israeli military also claimed responsibility for the strike, though Hamas has not commented, and Odeh’s family, while confirming his death, did not verify his rank.

Details Of The Gaza City Strike
The Tuesday strike in Gaza City, carried out on the eve of Eid al-Adha, killed at least three people and wounded 12, according to local health officials. Katz wrote on X that Israel had pledged to eliminate “everyone who led the October 7 massacre” and asserted that “they are all bound to die, everywhere.” He added that Hamas would not be allowed to retain civilian or military control in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing elections in the fall, also vowed that Israel would target everyone involved in the October 7 attacks.

Eid Al-Adha In The Shadow Of War
Normally marked by sacrifice and family celebrations over four days, Eid al-Adha is once again subdued in Gaza. TThe UN estimates that around 90 percent of the enclave’s more than 2 million residents have lost their homes, with many now living in sprawling tent camps plagued by rats and raw sewage. “This is not Eid … we’re dead,” said Mahmoud Saqer, displaced from Khan Younis. In Khan Younis and Gaza City, people prayed among the ruins of mosques and shattered buildings, with only a few balloons hinting at celebration. “There’s no Eid. My children were killed. Eid is only for the people who lost no one,” said Ayda Al-Banna, a displaced woman from Gaza City.

Ceasefire In Name, Ongoing Strikes In Reality
A ceasefire agreed to in October 2025 between Israel and Hamas remains fragile. Palestinian health officials say Israeli attacks have killed more than 880 Palestinians since the ceasefire took effect, while Israel says its strikes respond to Hamas violations or direct threats to its forces. Four Israeli soldiers have died in Gaza during the same period. Israel’s broader offensive began after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 72,700 Palestinians have since been killed in Israeli attacks, without distinguishing between civilians and combatants.

Mounting Civilian Toll And Political Stakes
The latest high-profile assassination comes as Netanyahu seeks to project resolve ahead of elections, but it also deepens international concern over civilian casualties and the durability of the ceasefire. With most Gazans uprooted, dependent on aid, and mourning losses across extended families, each new strike—especially on religious holidays—further erodes the prospects for meaningful de-escalation or rapid reconstruction, even as both sides insist they are acting in self-defence.

Israel’s claim to have eliminated yet another Hamas military chief underscores its determination to pursue those it holds responsible for October 7, but the timing and human cost of such strikes continue to darken life in Gaza, where Eid prayers are held among ruins and grief. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, the episode is another reminder that any lasting solution will require not just targeting militants, but also protecting civilians, reinforcing ceasefires and addressing the conditions that have turned Gazan holidays into days of mourning.

Sources: Asia One (2026) , BBC (2026)

Keywords: Mohammed Odeh Strike, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, October 7 Attacks, Fragile Ceasefire, Displaced Gazans