The Israeli Defense Forces said prominent Hamas Cmdr. Ayman Nofal was killed in an airstrike on Tuesday morning, marking a victory for Israel in its war in Gaza.
Nofal's death was announced by the IDF in a post to X on Tuesday. The war between Israel and the terrorist organization known as Hamas began on Oct. 7, when the organization launched a large surprise attack against Israel during one of its holy days. More than 4,000 people have been killed so far, including 30 Americans."We just eliminated Ayman Nofal, a senior Hamas operative," IDF posted to X on Tuesday, formerly known as Twitter.
Nofal directed many attacks against Israeli civilians and besides being one of the most dominant figures in the… pic.twitter.com/t686L6gSuN — Israel Defense Forces October 17, 2023 Hamas also confirmed Nofal's death, according to the Associated Press. The death comes during an escalation in targeted attacks from Israel, where the Israeli military is now focusing its attacks on Hamas hideouts, infrastructure, and command centers.The airstrike comes ahead of an expected ground excursion that seeks to eliminate Hamas leadership after Israel warned Palestinians to evacuate northern Gaza last week.
President Joe Biden is expected to visit Israel on Wednesday, when he will reiterate Israel's right to self-defense and learn more about how it will minimize civilian casualties. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also announced that the United States and Israel agreed to get humanitarian aid to residents in the Gaza Strip with the stipulation the aid won't help Hamas.