Israeli strike kills Hamas Rafah brigade commander in Khan Younis
Hamas has confirmed that Samir Abu Younis, 53, commander of its Rafah brigade, was killed in an Israeli strike in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, on Saturday. Gaza's Civil Defence said two other people were wounded.
An Israeli air strike in southern Gaza on Saturday killed Samir Abu Younis, commander of the Hamas Rafah brigade. Hamas confirmed his death early on Sunday. The strike hit the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, a coastal strip crowded with displaced Palestinians living in tents. Israel's military and the Shin Bet security agency said in a joint statement that they had targeted a senior Hamas military commander. They said the drone strike took place in Khan Younis, Al Jazeera reported. According to BBC Swahili, the statement did not name him at first. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, later named him as Samir Mahmoud Abu Younis, also known as Abu Mahmoud. According to the Qassam Brigades, Abu Younis sat on the group's top military council and led the Rafah brigade. He joined the brigades in 1991 as one of their first members. BBC Swahili reported that he helped plan and oversee the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Gaza Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Bissal told AFP that rescuers had recovered the body of Abu Younis, who was 53. He said two other people were wounded. Al Jazeera reported that the strike hit a…
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