The armed wing of the Palestinian radical movement Hamas on Wednesday confirmed the death of its commander Muhammad Awda, who lost his life on Tuesday in an Israeli attack in Gaza, AFP reported.
- Hamas commander Muhammad Ali Awda was killed by an Israeli attack in Gaza.
- Awda was believed to be the last original member of the Hamas high command.
A statement from the Izzaddin Qassam Brigades said that “the great martyr Commander Muhammad Ali Awda, also known as Abu Amr, the Chief of General Staff of the Izzaddin Qassam Brigades, was killed in a cowardly assassination attempt on Tuesday evening.” According to Hamas, Awd’s wife and their two children were also killed in the attack.
Funeral of Muhammad Awda
News website The Times of Israel (TOI) added that the funeral of Awda and his family members took place in Gaza City on Wednesday. Mourners carried bodies wrapped in white shrouds and Hamas flags. Assault rifles were placed on two bodies.
Health authorities in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip said at least three other people were killed and more than 20 injured in the attack, in addition to Awdu and his family. The strike destroyed the upper floor of a residential building in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City.
Targets of Israeli attacks
Sources close to Hamas said Awda was probably the last surviving member of the high command of Hamas’ armed wing from before the war with Israel.
Muhammad Awda, who was estimated to be around 50 years old, grew up in the Gaza Strip and was reportedly associated with Hamas his entire life. In the past, he also worked in the security unit of the movement focused on exposing Israeli spies.
According to the media, Israel has tried to kill him several times. In one of the attacks on his father’s house in 2025, his eldest son Amr was killed.
Israeli security forces also identified Awda as one of the last high-ranking Hamas commanders involved in organizing the massacre on October 7, 2023. According to them, his death represents a “significant blow” to Hamas’ efforts to rebuild its structures.
Tel Aviv announced on Tuesday evening that the Hamas official was targeted in the attack, and on Wednesday morning also reported his death.
The militant movement subsequently confirmed his death, but did not acknowledge that Awda had taken over leadership of the Izzaddin Qassam Brigades following the death of Izzaddin Haddad – killed in an Israeli attack in mid-May, as Israeli authorities claimed. In its statement, Hamas did not say who would replace Awda in the post.
Continuation of operations despite ceasefire
Despite a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip that has been in effect since October 2025, Israel continues operations against those suspected of involvement in the attacks on October 7, 2023. According to the Wall Street Journal, Israeli authorities have compiled a list of Palestinians involved in the attack and are seeking to detain or kill them.
