The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday, August 27, announced the killing of Mahmoud al-Aswad, head of Hamas’ General Security Apparatus for West Gaza, describing him as a “key figure” and an important intelligence source for the militant group.
In a statement released via its official X, formerly Twitter, the IDF confirmed al-Aswad’s death and said Israeli troops were also conducting operations on the outskirts of Gaza City and Khan Yunis.
The military claimed it was dismantling Hamas’ “terror infrastructure” above and below ground while targeting fighters.
The IDF statement read: “ELIMINATED: Mahmoud al-Aswad, Head of Hamas’ General Security Apparatus for the West Gaza area. Al-Aswad was a significant source of knowledge for Hamas and a key figure.”
The latest development comes as Israeli air and ground operations continue to intensify, with the military insisting that its campaign is aimed at crippling Hamas’ operational command and tunnel networks.
The strike follows a deadly air raid earlier this week that hit al-Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, killing at least 20 people, including five journalists.
Among those reported dead were:
- Hussam al-Masri, Reuters cameraman
- Mariam Abu Dagga, freelance reporter for Associated Press
- Mohammed Salam, Al Jazeera journalist
- Moaz Abu Taha, contributor to NBC
- Another Reuters journalist, Hatem Khaled, was said to have been seriously wounded.
Video footage broadcast by al-Ghad TV showed civil defence workers and fellow reporters attempting to recover al-Masri’s body when they too came under fire.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has described the scale of journalist deaths in Gaza as “unprecedented.”
According to the group, at least 192 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the outbreak of the conflict on October 7, 2023 a figure that surpasses the total number of journalists killed globally in the previous three years combined.
CPJ accused Israel of engaging in a “deliberate and systematic attempt to silence reporting from Gaza.”
Statistics compiled by the watchdog show:
44 journalists killed in October 2023 alone, the deadliest month of the war.
269 journalists killed overall since the conflict began, including three Lebanese and two Israeli reporters.
Al Jazeera reported that the toll has already exceeded journalist fatalities recorded during the World Wars, Vietnam, Yugoslav conflicts, and U.S. war in Afghanistan combined.
While the IDF insists its strikes are targeted at Hamas’ command structure, rights groups and international media organisations continue to raise alarms over mounting civilian and press casualties in Gaza.
The conflict, now in its 23rd month, shows little sign of easing, as Israel presses deeper into urban Gaza and global pressure mounts over humanitarian concerns.