IDF eliminates two terrorists in Gaza Strip for roles in October 7 and efforts to target Israeli civilians

Mohammed Mohammed Abd al-Khalek Hala led the weapons manufacturing unit within Hamas's military branch, crafting various arms and strengthening the group's forces in the Gaza area.

An IDF infographic shows the two terrorists killed in Thursday's strikes, Mohammed Mohammed Abd al-Khalek Hala and Ahmad Jabrin Tawfiq Dalhan.

(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

OCTOBER 16, 2026 09:46

Updated: OCTOBER 16, 2026 09:47

The IDF eliminated a Hamas commander who took part in the October 7 massacre and a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative in two distinct Thursday strikes, the military confirmed on Friday morning.

An airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip targeted and killed Mohammed Mohammed Abd al-Khalek Hala, a commander in the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing. Hala entered Israeli territory on October 7, the military said.

Hala led the weapons manufacturing unit within Hamas's military branch, crafting various arms and strengthening the group's forces in the Gaza area.

The IDF also killed Ahmad Jabrin Tawfiq Dalhan, a terrorist in the al-Quds Brigades, PIJ's military wing, in a strike in Khan Yunis. Dalhan pushed attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians, the statement explained. He broke the ceasefire through his efforts to restore PIJ to its pre-war strength in the Gaza Strip.

Both terrorists had recently tried to attack the IDF or Israeli civilians and were in violation of the ceasefire, the IDF spokesperson said. "The terrorists were eliminated to remove the threat that they posed."

The strikes were carried out with precision munitions and aerial surveillance to limit risk of harm to civilians, the statement explained.

IDF eliminates Gazan terror weapon smugglers

This announcement follows the IDF and Shin Bet announcing on Thursday that they killed two terrorists allegedly involved in the smuggling of weapons and other military assets into Gaza in a Wednesday strike.

Basel Nabil Abd al-Rahman Kashta and Ahmad Raja al-Shaer were killed in the strikes in Khan Yunis to eliminate "an immediate threat to Israeli civilians and IDF troops operating in the Yellow Line area," the joint statement said at the time.

Asher Smith contributed to this report.