Israel claims killing head of Hamas’ aerial operations during September airstrike

The head of Hamas’ Aerial Unit, Samer Abu Daqqa, was killed in an airstrike in the Gaza Strip, Israeli military and security agency said.

The country’s military and Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, claimed the killing and announced in a joint statement that Samer Abu Daqqa was killed in an airstrike in September, Xinhua news agency reported.

Daqqa played a pivotal role in Hamas’ aerial operations after succeeding Asem Abu Rakaba.

The Israel Defense Force announced today the Elimination of Samer Abu Daqqa, the Head of Hamas’ Aerial Unit in the Gaza Strip, who was Killed by an Israeli Precision-Airstrike last month on a Hamas Command-and-Control Center in Northern Gaza. Daqqa is said to be Responsible for… pic.twitter.com/pKzGdKREQD

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 14, 2024

Rakaba was assassinated by Israel last October, according to the statement.

Israeli security officials said Abu Daqqa played a key role in Hamas’ use of paragliders and drones during the surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. This attack led to 1,200 deaths and started Israel’s ongoing retaliatory campaign in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza have so far accounted for the lives of 42,289 Palestinians, as per Gaza-based health authorities.