Israel has stated that Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas's military branch, has died in an airstrike in Gaza City.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz praised the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel's Shin Bet security agency for their "flawless execution" in a post on X.
Hamas has not verified his demise. The Palestinian militant organization previously stated that many civilians were killed and wounded in the Israeli air strikes targeting a residential structure in the area.
Local reporters stated that a minimum of seven individuals were killed and 20 injured in the bombardments on the heavily populated al-Rimal area of Gaza City, with children included among the victims.
Saturday's assault occurs during continuous airstrikes on Gaza City in anticipation of an intended Israeli operation
Katz cautioned on Sunday that numerous additional "criminal associates" of Obeida would be focused on with "the escalation of the campaign in Gaza," referring to a newly authorized Israeli plan to take control of Gaza City.
Individually, the IDF and Shin Bet provided additional information regarding the strikes on Saturday aimed at the Hamas spokesperson.
In a joint statement, they noted that the operation was "facilitated by previous intelligence collected by [Shin Bet] and the IDF's Intelligence Directorate," which pinpointed his location.
Obeida was one of the last remaining senior figures of Hamas's military branch prior to its lethal assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.
Five missiles hit the second and third floors of the six-storey apartment building in the al-Rimal neighborhood simultaneously from two distinct directions.
The apartment that was attacked had served as a dental clinic. Witnesses claimed to have seen hundreds of thousands of dollars scattered in the air following the attacks, with significant amounts taken by locals but subsequently retrieved by Hamas
The joint statement mentioned that Obeida “acted as the public representative of the Hamas terrorist group” and “spread Hamas' propaganda.”
In recent years, Obeida - thought to be around 40 years old - has made several extended speeches criticizing Israel on behalf of Hamas's military faction, the al-Qassam Brigades.
Constantly wearing a Palestinian scarf, he turned into a symbol for Hamas fans across the Middle East.
In what could have been his last address on Friday, Obeida stated that the destiny of the remaining Israeli hostages would mirror that of Hamas fighters, cautioning Israel about its intended offensive into Gaza City
Mohammed Emad, who operates a barbershop merely 100m (328ft) from the damaged structure in al-Rimal, expressed to the BBC that "the explosions were frightening - I was unable to move for over an hour."
He said: "I can’t believe I’m still breathing." I witnessed hurt children with blood smeared on their faces, while individuals dashed in all directions as if the world had come to an end.
BBC-verified footage of the aftermath of the strikes depicts terrified residents running into the streets.
Blood is visible streaming from a body wrapped in cloth, as a man carries an injured child away.
The IDF stated that before the assault "numerous measures were implemented to lessen the likelihood of civilian harm, such as employing precision weaponry, conducting aerial surveillance, and gathering further intelligence data."
BBC News has not been able to independently confirm the assertions made by either the IDF or Hamas.
In early August, Israel's security cabinet sanctioned a strategy to take control of Gaza City in a new offensive, intending to conclude the 22-month-long conflict.
The UN has consistently cautioned that a total military takeover could lead to "catastrophic consequences" for both Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages in Gaza. The UK’s envoy to Israel stated it would be "a significant error."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to overcome Hamas and resisted global condemnation of his intentions to escalate the conflict.
Israel's military action in Gaza started as a reaction to the Hamas-initiated assault on 7 October, resulting in around 1,200 fatalities and 251 individuals being captured. According to the Gaza health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, over 63,000 Palestinians have died since that time.
Although the effort to seize Gaza City has not officially commenced, Israeli bombardments on the city, home to almost a million residents, continue unabated.
A local resident informed the BBC that the same apartment building impacted on Saturday had previously been struck in an earlier Israeli airstrike months ago.
The Israeli military has announced its intention to evacuate the entire population of Gaza City and relocate them to shelters in the south prior to troop deployment. A significant portion of Gaza's residents has faced multiple displacements throughout the conflict
It is estimated that over 90% of the homes in the city are either damaged or ruined, and the healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems have failed
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