The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) confirmed the elimination of multiple senior Hamas operatives in recent targeted airstrikes in Gaza. Among those killed were Osama Abu Namus, commander of Hamas’ Sabra Battalion, and his deputy, Mohammed al-Tarq.
According to a joint statement by the IDF and Shin Bet, Abu Namus was killed in a drone strike earlier this week. He was described as a significant figure within Hamas, serving as a critical source of knowledge and operational expertise.
The IDF attributes several attacks in the Netzarim Corridor area, south of Gaza City, to Abu Namus, who was also involved in directing Hamas’ broader military activities against Israeli forces.
The IDF and ISA eliminated the commander of the Hamas “Sabra” Battalion, his deputy, and additional terrorists who carried out attacks on IDF troops. pic.twitter.com/M450werWtT
— Yossi BenYakar (@YossiBenYakar) January 9, 2025
Mohammed al-Tarq, the deputy commander of the Sabra Battalion, was killed in a separate strike. Al-Tarq previously served as a commander within the Nukhba force, an elite unit of Hamas. He played a central role in planning and executing attacks on Israeli troops and overseeing the battalion’s operatives and facilities.
Additional strikes targeted other members of the Sabra Battalion’s Nukhba force. Among those killed were Mahmoud Shaheen and Hamada Diri, company commanders responsible for the supply of weapons and coordination of operations within the battalion.
The Sabra Battalion is part of Hamas’ Gaza City Brigade, operating primarily in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City. It has been implicated in numerous attacks on Israeli forces, particularly in the strategically significant Netzarim Corridor.
