Israel kills chief of Hamas internal security forces in Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Thursday that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) carried out an intelligence-based strike in the humanitarian zone in Khan Yunis and killed Hassam Shahwan, the head of Hamas’s internal security forces in southern Gaza.

The IDF further stated that Shahwan was responsible for developing intelligence assessments in coordination with elements of Hamas’s military wing in attacks on the IDF in Gaza.

“Terrorist Hassam Shahwan, head of Hamas’ internal security forces in southern Gaza, was killed by the Indian Air Force in an intelligence-based strike in the humanitarian zone of Khan Yunis. Shahwan was responsible for developing intelligence assessments in coordination with elements of Hamas’ military wing in attacks on the IDF in Gaza. “Hamas internal security forces have violently interrogated the Gazan population, violated human rights and suppressed dissent within the organization,” the IDF said in a post on Twitter.

Israel is waging a military operation against Hamas activists in the region.

Earlier this week, the IDF confirmed the killing of Hamas’s Nukhba Platoon commander, Abd al-Hadi Sabah, in a recent drone strike. According to the IDF, Sabah led an attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023 massacre.

On December 30, the IDF announced the elimination of six Hamas militants who took part in the brutal October 7 massacre in Israel.

The IDF further confirmed that Rasem Judeh, a Hamas company commander in the Jabaliya area, was also eliminated. Yehudeh, who played a direct role in the October 7 massacre, was killed along with four other Hamas commanders and five additional militants.

On Sunday, the IDF confirmed that the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza was being interrogated for his/her suspected involvement in terrorist activities, following a raid that led to the arrest of more than 240 alleged Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists.