Israel killed the chief of Hamas’s military intelligence in the southern Gaza Strip in Thursday’s airstrike, the army announced on Friday.
In a post on X, the Israel Defence Forces said that they had eliminated the head of Hamas’ military intelligence and head of Hamas’ surveillance and targeting unit, Osama Tabash.
“Tabash was also responsible for formulating Hamas’ combat strategy on the ground, including coordinating the intelligence of Hamas’ military wing in southern Gaza and leading their activities in the area,” the IDF added.
According to the joint IDF and Shin Bet statement, Tabash was a veteran member of Hamas and considered a “significant source of knowledge” in the terror group, serving in many key roles. His previous positions included serving as a battalion commander in Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade.
“Over the years, he was involved in terror activities and directing attacks, including a suicide bombing carried out in 2005 at the Gush Katif junction in the Gaza Strip, in which Shin Bet coordinator Oded Sharon was killed,” the statement said.
The IDF reports that Tabash, eliminated in a strike on March 20, 2025, had been working to restore Hamas’s military capabilities following wartime losses and was responsible for visual intelligence collection for targeting purposes both in Israel and Gaza.
The military stated that Tabash played a significant role in planning the October 7 attack and subsequently gathered intelligence on IDF operations in Gaza, coordinating attacks against troops, Times of Israel reported.
The IDF considers his elimination a significant setback to Hamas’s intelligence capabilities and their efforts to target IDF personnel in the region.