Israeli strike kills Hamas military chief in Gaza City, children among dead

Israeli airstrikes killed Mohammed Odeh, Hamas’s newly confirmed military chief in Gaza, but the strike also killed his wife and two of his children and left children among the dead in a crowded part of Gaza City. At least five children were reportedly killed in the attack, which hit the Remal neighborhood on the eve of Eid al-Adha, when residents were preparing for the holiday.

Israeli officials said the strike was aimed at Odeh, whom they described as one of the architects of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel. Defense Minister Israel Katz said this was the fourth time Israel had killed the head of Hamas’ military wing since the war began, and said Israel would keep targeting Hamas leaders involved in the October 7 assault. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also backed the Israeli account that Odeh was the intended target.

Hamas confirmed Odeh’s death and said he had been active in the group for more than 30 years, part of the first generation that helped build its military wing. The group’s public mourning underscored how quickly the killing of a top commander became a mass-casualty event in Gaza’s dense urban terrain. Hamas held a joint funeral in Gaza City, where thousands gathered and mourners carried green Hamas flags.

The civilian toll widened the story beyond a single targeted strike. On Wednesday, at least seven people were killed in Gaza City in strikes linked to the same escalation, and more than 20 were wounded, including several children, according to Shifa Hospital. Local hospitals said Tuesday’s strike on a market area killed at least five people, including Odeh and members of his family, and wounded 12 more.

The attack highlighted the central dilemma of the war in Gaza: intelligence claims about high-value targets collide with the reality of fighting in neighborhoods where families, markets and apartment blocks sit side by side. The strike also sharpened doubts about the ceasefire framework that has been in place since October 2025, as both sides continue to accuse the other of violating it.