Israeli Airstrike Kills Rafah Brigade Commander

The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced on Sunday, November 15, 2026, the death of Samir Abu Younis, commander of the Rafah Brigade, following an Israeli airstrike that targeted him on Saturday evening in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip—a military development that brings the issue of targeting Palestinian leadership back to the forefront of the field situation.

The Israeli military confirmed it carried out an operation targeting a senior leader in Hamas's military wing, without disclosing his identity, while Palestinian medical sources reported the death of Abu Younis and injuries to others as a result of the shelling that targeted a site on a street in the Al-Mawasi area.

According to information released by the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Younis, aged 53, joined their military wing in 1991 and rose through various field and leadership responsibilities in Rafah before assuming command of the brigade. The movement also attributed to him a role in planning and overseeing the October 7, 2023, attack.

His death comes at a time characterized by the fragility of the truce that entered into force in October 2025, which contributed to halting large-scale military operations without ending Israeli strikes or the disputes regarding security arrangements and the future of the Gaza Strip.