Hamas Commander Involved in Holding Seven Israeli Hostages Captive Eliminated
Israeli forces eliminated Hamas commander Mahmoud Abdel Fattah Awad in Gaza City, who directly guarded seven Israeli hostages in underground tunnels.
Jerusalem, 24 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Gaza City — Israeli forces eliminated Hamas terror commander Mahmoud Abdel Fattah Awad in an airstrike in Gaza City, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) announced.
Awad played a direct role in guarding seven Israeli hostages—Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Doron Steinbrecher, Naama Levy, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, and Eitan Mor—in underground tunnels beneath Gaza City. Military officials confirmed Awad was actively orchestrating new attacks against Israeli forces and civilians while attempting to rebuild Hamas operational capabilities in violation of existing ceasefire terms.
IDF Southern Command troops remain deployed across the sector in accordance with operational agreements, emphasizing that Israeli forces will continue taking targeted action to neutralize immediate threats and disrupt Hamas leadership networks.