Gaza, MINA — Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, on Monday officially confirmed the martyrdom of its long-time military spokesperson Abu Obeida, months after Israel claimed he was killed in an airstrike.
Abu Obeida, identified as Huthaifa Samir al-Kahlout, was reportedly targeted in late August when an Israeli strike hit a residential building in Gaza City, The New Arab reported. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said at the time that Israeli forces had “eliminated” him and vowed to continue pursuing Hamas leadership.
Israel’s military and internal security agency Shin Bet also stated the strike was conducted based on intelligence identifying his location.
Hamas had remained silent for months, neither confirming nor denying the Israeli claims. During this period, no audio nor video statements were released by Abu Obeida, and Al-Qassam moved to communicating only through written messages on Telegram.
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In its statement, Al-Qassam also acknowledged the deaths of other senior commanders, including Mohammed Sinwar.
The confirmation came after widespread anticipation when Hamas announced it would issue a rare public message at 4 p.m. local time (2 p.m. GMT) on Monday.
Abu Obeida became the first official spokesperson of the Al-Qassam Brigades in 2005, emerging as one of the movement’s most recognizable figures with his red keffiyeh and masked media appearances. Born to a refugee family from the village of Ni’ilya near Majdal, he grew up in Gaza and rose through the group’s ranks after Hamas took control of the territory in 2007.
His prominence grew during major confrontations with Israel, including the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006, as well as the wars on Gaza in 2008–09, 2012, 2014, and 2021.
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Throughout the current Israeli assault on Gaza, he frequently delivered recorded statements on battlefield developments, Israeli captives, and threats of escalation, making his appearances closely watched on both sides of the conflict. His last public statement was in mid-July, in which he accused Arab and Muslim governments of abandoning Gaza amid what humanitarian groups describe as starvation tactics.
The confirmation of his death raises questions about Hamas’ communication structure and command resilience as Israel continues its offensive. The group has not announced who will assume his role.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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