• Raed Saad targeted in Saturday airstrike west of Gaza City following IED attack
• Hamas condemns strike as ceasefire violation while declining to confirm commander’s death
• Attack tests two-month-old truce brokered by Trump administration in October

JERUSALEM (TDR) — Israeli forces killed a senior Hamas commander Saturday in an airstrike near Gaza City, according to military officials who described the target as actively rebuilding the militant organization in violation of ceasefire terms. The strike killed four people and drew immediate condemnation from Hamas, which asserted the attack breached the fragile truce that took effect in October.

The Israel Defense Forces identified Raed Saad as the Hamas official responsible for weapons manufacturing who previously led the group’s operations division. Military officials characterized him as one of the architects of the October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the current conflict, and claimed he had been working to reestablish Hamas capabilities since the ceasefire began.

Diverging Accounts of Strike

Hamas issued a statement saying a civilian vehicle was struck outside Gaza City but did not confirm Saad’s death. The militant group asserted the attack represented a blatant violation of the ceasefire that took effect October 10 following intensive negotiations mediated by the United States. An Associated Press journalist reported seeing four bodies arrive at Shifa Hospital following the strike west of Gaza City.

“Israel maintains the right to strike targets actively engaged in terrorism under the ceasefire agreement.”

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz released a joint statement declaring the strike was retaliation for an explosive device that wounded two soldiers earlier Saturday in southern Gaza. The IDF described the injuries as light, and officials insisted the ceasefire permits strikes against individuals actively engaged in terrorism despite the broader cessation of hostilities.

Pattern of Alleged Violations

Both sides have repeatedly accused each other of breaching the October ceasefire agreement brokered by President Donald Trump’s administration. Palestinian health officials report Israeli airstrikes and shootings have killed at least 386 Palestinians since the truce took hold. Israel maintains recent strikes respond to militant attacks against soldiers and Palestinians who crossed the designated separation line between Israeli-controlled territory and the rest of Gaza.

According to the European Council on Foreign Relations, Saad headed operations and production for Hamas’ armed wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, making him one of the most senior remaining military commanders in the territory. Israeli media reported the IDF previously targeted Saad in a June 2024 strike, and he survived several assassination attempts during the war before Saturday’s operation.

Ceasefire Terms and Complications

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The initial phase of the agreement called for all living hostages and deceased hostage remains to be released within 72 hours of Israeli forces withdrawing to pre-designated lines. Hamas released 20 living hostages in mid-October but has returned only 15 of 28 deceased hostage remains. Israel demands the return of final hostage Ran Gvili’s remains as a condition for advancing to the second phase, which envisions ending Hamas rule and rebuilding a demilitarized Gaza under international supervision.

President Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan established mechanisms for monitoring compliance, but disagreements over implementation persist. Humanitarian aid entry continues below levels specified in ceasefire terms, and Palestinians who lost limbs face shortages of prosthetic devices and prolonged delays for medical evacuations. The initial October 7, 2023 attack killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken into Gaza.

Humanitarian Crisis Continues

Israel’s two-year military campaign has killed more than 70,650 Palestinians according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by international observers but does not distinguish between militants and civilians. Much of Gaza’s infrastructure lies destroyed, and most of the territory’s population exceeding two million people has been displaced from their homes during the conflict.

Can the ceasefire survive escalating military actions by both parties claiming self-defense?

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