Israeli strike in Gaza City targets senior Hamas official Ali al-Amoudi

On October 3, 2026, an Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in the Rimal district of Gaza City, reportedly targeting Ali al-Amoudi, a high-ranking member of Hamas. Palestinian media reported that five people, including four women, were killed in the attack. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the operation, stating that al-Amoudi, described as a close associate of the late Yahya Sinwar, was the intended objective. Israeli authorities have yet to verify whether al-Amoudi was killed or injured in the strike.

Al-Amoudi is considered by Israeli intelligence to be the de facto top political leader of Hamas within the Gaza Strip following the death of Yahya Sinwar in October 2024. The IDF alleges that he was directly involved in planning the October 7, 2023, attacks against Israel and has been instrumental in the group's efforts to reorganize. Before the current war, al-Amoudi managed Hamas's communication and information mechanisms. He was released from Israeli detention in 2011 as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange and is currently competing for leadership of the Hamas political bureau in Gaza against Nizar Awadallah.

The Israeli military justified the strike by citing al-Amoudi's presence in a civilian building, accusing Hamas of utilizing civilians as human shields. Investigations regarding his status remain ongoing.