Israel says it killed Hamas co-founder in Gaza City strike

The Israeli Defense Forces and the Israel Securities Authority killed Hamas co-founder Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa in a strike in Gaza City on Friday, a statement from the IDF said.

Al-Issa was hit in the area of Sabra within the city, the statement said.

“Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa was a key source of knowledge and one of the last remaining senior Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip who held high-ranking positions before October 7th, 2023,” the IDF said.

The Israeli military described Al-Issa as a senior figure in the militant group’s military wing and said he was considered a founder of both Hamas itself and Hamas’ military wing. At the time of his death, he was serving as head of its combat support headquarters.

Al-Issa was also a member of Hamas’ General Security Council, the IDF said. In the past, Al-Issa led the group’s “force-buildup efforts in the Gaza Strip” and served as head of the training headquarters.

The IDF said Al-Issa “played a significant role in the planning and execution of the brutal October 7th massacre,” but neglected to share what role he played.

More than 1,200 people were killed when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and took more than 250 people hostage. Nearly two years later, 50 people remain in captivity in Gaza, but 28 of those people are believed to be dead.

Israel’s retaliatory assault on the Gaza Strip has killed more than 56,000 people and has left thousands more wounded, displaced and with sparse resources, including food, water and medical supplies.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday indicated that a ceasefire might come into play within the next week. It was not clear whether it would be a temporary or permanent ceasefire, or if any prisoner exchanges would be involved like in past temporary ceasefire agreements.

During the war between Israel and Hamas, Al-Issa worked to rebuild Hamas’ organizational systems that were damaged in Israeli strikes, the IDF said. Also throughout the war, the IDF said Al-Issa advanced attacks against Israeli citizens and IDF troops in Gaza.

The IDF in its statement pledged to “locate and eliminate all terrorists from the different terrorist organizations who took part in the brutal October 7th massacre.”

Israel has killed a number of other high-ranking Hamas officials since the Oct. 7 attack, including chief Mohammed Sinwar in May.