The Israeli military said Saturday its forces killed Ra’ad Sa’ad, a senior Hamas commander, in a strike in the Gaza Strip.
Sa’ad, head of Hamas’ weapons production unit, was described as one of the planners of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack and “one of the last remaining senior militants” in Gaza, according to a joint statement by the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security agency.
The military said Sa’ad was directly responsible for ceasefire violations and continued weapons production. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strike was carried out in response to a Hamas explosive device that wounded Israeli troops earlier in the day.
Two reserve soldiers were lightly injured when the device detonated during an operation in southern Gaza, the military said.
Despite a ceasefire that took effect in October, Israel has continued strikes in Gaza, with health officials there reporting more than 380 killed and over 1,000 injured.