The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Monday the killing of a Hamas commander who took part in the terrorist group’s invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, an attack in which militants crossed the border from Gaza and massacred some 1,200 people.
In a post on X, the IDF said it eliminated Adil Mismah, the Nukhba company commander in the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Mismah led terrorists into Kibbutz Kissufim and directed gunmen to devastate the kibbutz communities of Nirim and Be’eri.
The IDF said Mismah was killed in an Israeli Air Force strike with help from troops on the ground.
In the same post, the IDF said it struck terror targets run by Hamas and Islamic Jihad for conducting warfare. During the operation, troops located substantial amounts of weapons.
Troops also destroyed a launch post, eliminated a terrorist cell accused of attacking IDF forces with mortar shells, and identified and eliminated a terrorist launching rockets in Khan Yunis.
The post came as Israel announced plans to partially withdraw its forces from Gaza in the coming months as the war against Hamas enters a new phase.
The shift means the IDF will focus on more targeted operations against Hamas, reducing the use of artillery and air strikes.
It also means that some reservists who were called up for active duty will return to civilian life to help stimulate the economy, according to Reuters.
While the change means a shift in how Israel goes after Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said over the weekend that the war is set to last many more months.
‘This will take six months at least and involve intense mopping-up missions against the terrorists,’ an Israeli official told Reuters. ‘No one is talking about doves of peace being flown from Shajaia.’
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom and Reuters contributed to this report.