The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that Hazem Awni Naeem, a senior Hamas operative accused of holding several Israeli hostages in captivity, was killed in a targeted strike in Gaza City.

According to the military, Naeem had kept hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Naama Levy in captivity during the ongoing war. He also held multiple roles in Hamas’ Gaza City brigade and was described as a close associate of the brigade’s commander, Ezz al-Din Haddad.

“Naeem held several roles in Hamas’ Gaza City brigade, and throughout the war, he was a senior operative in the military intelligence of the brigade and was close with the commander of the Gaza City brigade, Ezz al-Din Haddad,” the IDF said in a statement on X.

The army added that its operations, in coordination with the Israel Security Agency (ISA), remain focused on neutralizing Hamas’ leadership and dismantling its command structures. “The IDF and the ISA will continue to operate against the terrorist organizations in Gaza and to remove any threat posed to Israel and its civilians,” the statement said.

The announcement comes as Israel intensifies its campaign in northern Gaza, where senior Hamas figures have been targeted in a series of strikes aimed at weakening the group’s military and intelligence network.

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