Tel Aviv, Oct 3 (IANS): The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) Shin Bet announced jointly on Thursday that Rawhi Mushtaha, the head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip who was also considered as Hamas head Yahya Sinwar's right-hand man, was eliminated three months ago in a joint IDF and ISA strike in the Gaza Strip.
The IDF spokesman and the Shin Bet spokeswoman also stated that, along with Mushtaha, Sameh al-Siraj, who held the security portfolio on Hamas' political bureau and Sami Oudeh, Commander of Hamas' General Security Mechanism, were also killed in the attack
"During a precise IDF and ISA intelligence-based strike, IAF fighter jets struck and eliminated the terrorists while they were hiding in a fortified and equipped underground compound in the northern Gaza Strip. The compound served as a Hamas command and control center and enabled senior operatives to remain inside of it for extended periods of time," they said in a joint statement.
The Israeli agencies revealed that the compound was managed by senior members of Hamas' General Security Mechanism and functioned as a hideout for the Hamas leadership, led by Mushtaha.
"Following the strike on the compound and the elimination of the terrorists, Hamas did not announce their deaths as it had done following previous eliminations, in order to prevent loss of morale and functioning of its terror operatives," they said.
According to the IDF, Rawhi Mushtaha was one of Hamas' most senior operatives and had a direct impact on decisions relating to Hamas' force deployment. Mushtaha was involved in military decisions while also acting as the Head of Hamas Civil Governance in the Gaza Strip and holding the Prisoners Affairs Portfolio. He also formerly held the finance portfolio.
"Mushtaha, alongside Yahya Sinwar, established Hamas' General Security Mechanism. They served a prison sentence together in an Israeli jail. Mushtaha was considered to be the most senior figure in the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, and during the war maintained civil control of the Hamas regime, while simultaneously engaging in terrorist activity against Israel. Mushtaha was Sinwar's right-hand man and one of his closest associates," the joint statement mentioned.
Both, the IDF and the ISA, reiterated that Israel will continue to pursue all of the terrorists responsible for last year's October 7 massacre and will operate against anyone who threatens the country.