The Israeli Defense Forces or the IDF have reported that they have killed one of the top commanders of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in an overnight airstrike in the Gaza Strip.
The IDF says that Billal al-Qedra, the commander of the Nukhba unit’s southern Khan Yunis battalion, was killed in the airstrike. Israeli intelligence tracked down Billal al-Qedra’s location in Khan Yunis, a city in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Armed Forces said that Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror operatives were also killed in the airstrike that took place.
The ISF carried out airstrikes on multiple military targets in Zaytun, Khan Yunis, and West Jabaliya, targeting operational command centers and military compounds belonging to Hamas. The airstrike also succeeded in neutralizing several anti-tank missile launch pads and observational posts. The IDF and ISA also succeeded in killing the Nukhba commander of the forces in southern Khan Yunis, who was responsible for the Kibbutz Nirim massacre.
Source: AFP
IDF posted on X which was formerly known as Twitter that IDF warplanes, under the intelligence guidance of the Shin Bet killed last night in the Gaza Strip, Billal al-Qedra, the commander of the Nakhaba force in the South Khan Yunis battalion of the terrorist organization Hamas and the one who is responsible for the murderous raid on Kibbutz Nirim and Nir Oz. In addition to that, other operatives in the terrorist organization Hamas as well as in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad were eliminated.
Following a 12-hour period, warning sirens blared in numerous southern towns on Sunday morning, with a rocket launched from Gaza striking a home in Sderot and sparking a fire. There have been no reports of casualties in the direct rocket strike, which came as the evacuation of residents from the southern city was set to begin.
The municipality has emphasized that evacuation is not completely mandatory, but it is recommended that residents leave the area. Those evacuating were being moved to hotels in Eilat and Jerusalem, and there was also a possibility of going to Tel Aviv. It has been estimated that there are around 7,000 households in the town,
The Times of Israel reported that earlier this Saturday, the IDF eliminated another top commander in Hamas’s commando forces who led one of the attacks on Southern Israel last week.
The IDF wrote on ‘X’ that Ali Qadi led the inhumane, barbaric massacre of civilians in Israel on October 7. We just eliminated him and all Hamas terrorists will meet the same fate.
A while ago, the IDF alleged that Hamas was blocking the evacuation of civilians in the Gaza Strip ahead of the deadly attacks on October 7.
The IDF has asked the residents of the Northern Gaza Strip to relocate themselves to the southern part of the enclave using evacuation corridors between 10 am to 4 pm as the Israeli soldiers, along with tanks were deployed against Hamas.
At least 1300 people have lost their lives and over 3000 have been injured in the Hamas attacks on Israel. The IDF has confirmed that over 120 civilians are being held as captives in Gaza by the Hamas terrorist organization.
Billal al-Qedra: The Commander Killed by the Israeli Airstrike
While there is not much information about Billa al-Qedra disclosed to the public, the IDF has revealed that Billal al-Qedra was the commander of the Nakhaba force in the South Khan Yunis battalion of Hamas.
Billal is also responsible for the murderous raid on Kibbutz Nirim and Nir Oz.
