Israeli authorities revealed that their military killed the new leader of Hamas' armed wing in the Gaza Strip during an airstrike last Tuesday.
On Wednesday, 27 May 2026 GMT+7, Israel announced that their military had killed Mohammed Odeh, the new leader of Hamas' armed wing in the Gaza Strip, following the recent killing of the previous leader earlier this month, despite the ongoing ceasefire agreement.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “The commander of the armed wing of the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip was eliminated yesterday and has been sent to join his comrades in hell.”
“We pledge to eliminate everyone involved in the massacre on 7 October, and that is what we will do. They are all marked for death, no matter where they are,” Katz stated in a post on the X platform.
Meanwhile, a joint statement from the Israeli military and Shin Bet, the domestic security agency, confirmed Odeh's killing on Tuesday, stating he was appointed head of the Qassam Brigades after the killing of the previous leader, Ezzedin al-Haddad, on 15 May.
However, Hamas has never officially announced or confirmed Odeh's appointment as head of the brigades; he had long served as the head of Hamas' intelligence unit.
Katz also reiterated Israel's goal to end Hamas' rule in the Gaza Strip and hinted at plans to forcibly relocate residents, saying, “A voluntary relocation plan out of the Gaza Strip will also be implemented. Everything will be done at the appropriate time and in the proper manner.”
Notably, the Gaza relocation plan is supported by Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's far-right finance minister. Former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously expressed support for this idea before abandoning it.
In February, Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the plan, stating it aims to permanently alter the demographic composition of the Gaza Strip.
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Source:cna