Gazan Sources Say Israeli Strike Killed Hamas Gaza Brigade Commander in Gaza City Apartment
Gazan sources affiliated with Hamas report that an Israeli airstrike on an apartment in western Gaza City killed Az al‑Din al‑Baykh, commander of Hamas’ Gaza Brigade, and senior figure Imad Aslim. If confirmed, al‑Baykh would be among several brigade‑level commanders reported killed in recent weeks.
An early‑morning airstrike in Gaza City has reportedly killed a top Hamas military commander at a time when multiple senior figures have already been taken off the battlefield.
Gazan sources and journalists linked to Hamas say Israeli fighter jets struck an apartment in the Natzar neighborhood in western Gaza City with three bombs. According to these accounts, the strike killed Az al‑Din al‑Baykh – also referred to as Az al‑Din al‑Bik, known as Abu Hamza and nicknamed “Asmawi” – described as commander of the Gaza Brigade in the military wing of Hamas.
The same sources report that Imad Aslim, known as Abu Hassan, was also killed in the strike. He is described as the deputy Gaza Brigade commander and commander of the Zeitoun Battalion. Gazan journalists circulated claims and images identifying both men, though these details have not been independently verified.
Israeli‑aligned commentary online framed the operation as a successful targeted killing, noting that Israel had previously tried to eliminate Az al‑Din al‑Baykh in May. Those earlier attempts were reported at the time by the same information channels.
The reported killing of Az al‑Din al‑Baykh in this latest strike comes alongside other recent claims about Hamas brigade commanders. Gazan and Israeli sources have said that Izz al‑Din al‑Haddad, who also held the role of Gaza Brigade commander, was killed by an Israeli airstrike on 15 May 2026. They have additionally reported that three other brigade‑level commanders from Hamas’ five Gaza brigades have been killed in the last three weeks.
Hamas brigade commanders sit at the center of the group’s military structure in the Strip, linking the political leadership with sector‑level units. If these claims about multiple brigade commanders are accurate, they would point to a sustained Israeli effort to hit the upper tier of Hamas’ chain of command in a short period.
The location of this latest strike in an apartment inside a dense urban neighborhood again highlights how senior militant figures and civilian life in Gaza are closely intertwined. Local sources focused on the deaths of Hamas commanders and did not provide full casualty figures for other residents in the building or nearby.
The scale of disruption to Hamas’ command system will depend on how quickly replacements are appointed and how much of their communications and support networks survive. Evidence of changes in Hamas activity in Gaza City, confirmation or denial from Israeli officials, and further independent reporting from the scene will indicate how far this particular strike has shifted conditions on the ground.
Sources
- OSINT