Abu Shahma also served as a bodyguard for slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
By United with Israel Staff
The IDF eliminated two Hamas Nukhba terrorists who participated in the Oct. 7 massacre and had recently been working to carry out new attacks and rebuild the terror group’s capabilities, the military announced Thursday.
In a strike Sunday in the Khan Yunis area of southern Gaza, the IDF eliminated Hazem Mousa, a Nukhba terrorist in Hamas’s military wing who infiltrated Israel and took part in the assault on the Re’im military base during the Oct. 7 massacre.
In a separate operation Monday, the IDF and Shin Bet struck Khan Yunis and eliminated Razek Sahil Suleiman Abu Shahma, another Nukhba terrorist who participated in the attack on the Re’im base.
Abu Shahma also served as a bodyguard for slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
According to the IDF, both terrorists had recently been advancing attack plans against Israeli troops and civilians and working to rebuild Hamas’s capabilities, in what the military described as systematic violations of the ceasefire.
The IDF said the strikes were carried out to eliminate the threat posed by the two terrorists.
The announcement comes after IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir vowed earlier this week that Israel’s pursuit of those responsible for the Oct. 7 massacre would continue for as long as necessary.
“The pursuit of the October 7 terrorists continues,” Zamir said during a tour of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. “Anyone who took part in the massacre will live as a hunted man until he is eliminated.”
“This is a long-term mission to which Southern Command and the entire IDF are committed,” he added.
Zamir also stressed that Israel would not allow Hamas to rebuild its military capabilities.
“In Gaza, we are not giving up on our primary objective, demilitarizing the Strip and disarming Hamas, using whatever means are necessary,” he said.
“We will not allow the enemy to rebuild itself, we will not allow terrorist infrastructure to take root, and we will act at every opportunity to eliminate threats as they emerge.”
IDF forces under Southern Command remain deployed in Gaza in accordance with the agreement and will continue operating against immediate threats, the military said.
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