by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – The Israeli military confirmed Wednesday that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) eliminated Mahmoud al-Aswad, Hamas’s General Security Apparatus leader in western Gaza, in a targeted strike carried out last Friday.
According to the IDF, al-Aswad served as a “significant source of knowledge” for Hamas and played a key role in the terror group’s security operations. The strike was conducted in coordination with Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Military Intelligence Directorate.
Ground Advances in Northern Gaza
While announcing al-Aswad’s death, the IDF also detailed ongoing combat operations across the Gaza Strip. Troops from the Givati Brigade, operating under the 162nd Division, engaged terror cells in Jabalya and the outskirts of Gaza City, destroying a weapons depot and dismantling Hamas infrastructure. Forces from the 99th Division struck observation posts and underground networks threatening Israeli troops.
Residents of Gaza City reported tanks entering the Ebad-Alrahman neighborhood late Tuesday, shelling houses and pushing civilians deeper into the city. Heavy overnight bombing in Gaza’s Zeitoun district was also reported.
Khan Younis Strikes and New Engineering Battalion
In southern Gaza, the IDF said soldiers eliminated Hamas operatives approaching their positions in Khan Younis, supported by the IAF. Airstrikes also destroyed a Hamas naval weapons storage site and a repair facility.
At the same time, the IDF announced the establishment of the 607th “Mapatz” Engineering Battalion, formed after lessons from October 7 to support infantry brigades in clearing terror tunnels and infrastructure. The new battalion has already joined combat operations in the north.
Humanitarian Corridors and Evacuation Push
With preparations intensifying for an assault on Gaza City, IDF Arabic-language spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee urged civilians to evacuate southward, rejecting “false rumors” that no space was available. He highlighted vast unoccupied areas in central refugee camps and Al-Mawasi, where Israel is building new tent encampments, water systems, and aid centers.
The IDF confirmed it will soon expand its humanitarian network to five aid distribution centers in southern Gaza. The UN said more than 800,000 people have been displaced since the end of the March ceasefire.
Ceasefire Talks and Hostage Dilemma
Meanwhile, political tensions remain over hostage negotiations. Israeli officials continue to reject proposals for a partial release deal. “If we are not careful, we will get a few hostages out now, and never see the rest again,” Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter told CNN. He emphasized that Israel’s war will not end until Hamas “surrenders or is destroyed.”
Leiter criticized Hamas’s leadership for operating freely from Qatar and Turkey, calling on the international community to shut down their safe havens. He warned that Hamas had rebuilt its ranks to 25,000-30,000 fighters during the previous ceasefire.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
The Trump administration has finalized a sweeping reciprocal trade agreement with Taiwan, confirming a 15 percent U.S. tariff rate on Taiwanese imports while securing broad new market access and purchase commitments for American goods.
Democrats are applauding White House border czar Tom Homan’s Thursday announcement that immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota will end next week.
Democrats in the U.S. Senate tanked the Homeland Security full-year funding bill in a last-ditch vote Thursday, all but guaranteeing a partial government shutdown starting Saturday.
Mourners in a remote Canadian town grappled Thursday with the aftermath of one of the country’s deadliest school shootings in decades, as families, survivors and leaders reacted to the tragedy that left eight victims — most of them children — dead, along with the 18-year-old suspect.
A gunman who opened fire at a school in southern Thailand’s Hat Yai city on Wednesday wounded a teacher and a student before being detained, authorities said, in a rare attack that sent students and staff into panic.
The Republican-led House of Representatives has passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, advancing legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification at the polls. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain amid strong Democratic opposition.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday that its advanced David’s Sling air and missile defense system has completed a series of complex modernized tests, a development officials say bolsters the country’s defensive posture as tensions with Iran escalate and the United States prepares military options that could include direct strikes.