Tel Aviv [Israel], July 12 — In a coordinated operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel’s internal security agency Shin Bet eliminated senior Islamic Jihad commander Fazal Abu al-Ata on June 7, 2025.
Abu al-Ata, previously deputy commander of the Shuja’iyya sector in Gaza, was serving as commander of the Shanaiyah sector during the ongoing Iron Swords War. Israeli authorities say he played a key role in orchestrating terror attacks and coordinating with other militant factions, including during the deadly October 7 massacre inside Israeli territory.
In the same operation, the IDF also killed Hamad Kamel Abd al-Aziz Ayad, identified as the lead engineer and sabotage operative for the Turkhman Battalion of Islamic Jihad. Ayad was reportedly behind several terrorist operations targeting IDF forces.
Both militants were accused of plotting multiple attacks against Israeli troops and infrastructure in recent months. Their deaths mark another significant blow to Islamic Jihad’s leadership in Gaza.