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 Pentagon has spent months positioning warships, aircraft, surveillance assets, and Marines around the Caribbean as President Donald Trump weighs possible military action against Cuba, according to a Politico report.
U.S. Central Command has confirmed to Congress that foreign adversaries have exploited commercially available cell phone location data to surveil and potentially target American military personnel in active war zones, raising fresh concerns over troop security in the Middle East.
The U.S. Department of War is stepping up efforts to protect Christians in Nigeria after President Donald Trump directed military leaders to focus on terrorist networks targeting believers in the West African nation, War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel now controls roughly 60 percent of the Gaza Strip and has ordered the Israel Defense Forces to expand that control to 70 percent, signaling a major escalation in Jerusalem’s campaign to weaken Hamas and prevent the terror group from rebuilding its military rule.
Israel carried out a targeted strike Thursday in a suburb south of Beirut, marking its first attack near the Lebanese capital in three weeks as the conflict with Hezbollah and Iran-backed terrorist groups intensifies.
President Donald Trump is weighing whether to approve a 60-day memorandum of understanding with Iran that would extend the fragile ceasefire in the Middle East, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted shipping, and launch a new round of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Authorities in Bangladesh came under pressure Thursday after preventing the Eid-ul-Azha sacrifice of a rare albino buffalo nicknamed after U.S. President Donald J. Trump.