In the Nuseirat area of central Gaza, Israeli jets struck a target that the Defense Forces identified as a Hamas compound, killing two high‑ranking commanders on Thursday, the military said on Friday. The dead were Ihab Jamil Abu Taqiya, a squad commander, and Ibrahim Gihad Muhammad Abu Oshaiba, a platoon commander, according to the military’s statement.
For both men, the Israeli statement said they had long played key roles in Hamas’ military wing, including holding Israeli hostages at the war’s outset. The Defense Forces described them as having advanced attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians and of working to restore Hamas’ capabilities, actions it said violated the U.S.‑brokered ceasefire that began in October 2025.
The airstrike came despite the ceasefire, which had halted Israel’s large‑scale offensive. Military officials noted they had taken steps to minimize harm to civilians, a claim made in the statement that appeared on Xinhua’s website on October 31.
Israel’s ongoing strikes have proceeded in the wake of a U.S. peace plan that called for further Israeli withdrawals and the disarmament of Hamas. That plan has stalled, leaving the area in a tense stalemate where hostilities still erupt on a daily basis.
The targeting of Abu Taqiya and Abu Oshaiba follows several days of heightened Israeli operations in Gaza, with the Defence Forces repeatedly asserting that each strike is aimed at individuals directly involved in host‑to‑host attacks. The statement reiterated that the two commanders were “in systematic violation of the ceasefire.”
Local witnesses report that the Nuseirat area has been a focal point for military activity for months, with residents describing a pattern of air raids that often coincide with periods of heavy fighting. The strike added to a series of incidents that continue to fuel international concern over the potential for civilian casualties.
In the broader context, the ceasefire, brokered by the United States in late 2025, has proved fragile. It expanded the scope of the war but has not stopped unilateral attacks, according to the Israeli military. The Defense Forces’ latest announcement underscores the ongoing tension between the need to neutralize perceived threats and the need to adhere to international agreements.