Rawhi Mushtaha, Head Of Hamas Government In Gaza, ‘Eliminated’ In Israeli Airstrike

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Securities Authority (ISA) announced that they had ‘eliminated’ Rawhi Mushtaha, the head of the Hamas government in Gaza, and two other portfolio holders in an airstrike three months prior.

“In a joint IDF and ISA strike in the Gaza Strip, the following terrorists were eliminated: Rawhi Mushtaha, the Head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip; Sameh al-Siraj, who held the security portfolio on Hamas’ political bureau and Hamas’ Labor Committee; and Sami Oudeh, Commander of Hamas’ General Security Mechanism,” they said in a statement amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, exacerbated by the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.

They stated that during a precise IDF and ISA intelligence-based strike, IAF fighter jets struck and killed the terrorists while they were hiding in a fortified and equipped underground compound in the northern Gaza Strip.

The compound served as Hamas’ command and control center, allowing senior operatives to stay inside for extended periods of time. The compound was managed by senior members of Hamas’ General Security Mechanism and served as a safe haven for the Hamas leadership, led by Mushtaha.

The Israeli military stated that following the strike on the compound and the elimination of the terrorists, Hamas did not announce their deaths in order to prevent a loss of morale and functioning among its terror operatives.

Rawhi Mushtaha was a senior Hamas operative with direct influence over Hamas force deployment decisions. Mushtaha participated in military decisions while also serving as the Head of Hamas Civil Governance in the Gaza Strip and the Prisoners Affairs Portfolio. He previously held the finance portfolio.

Mushtaha and Yahya Sinwar established Hamas’ General Security Mechanism. They served a prison sentence together in an Israeli jail. Mushtaha was regarded as the most senior figure in Hamas’ political bureau in the Gaza Strip, and he maintained civil control of the Hamas regime while engaging in terrorist activity against Israel during the conflict. Mushtaha was Sinwar’s right hand man and one of his closest confidants.