Israeli Military Says It Killed Hamas’s New Chief in Gaza Strike

Mohammad Odeh was among the last senior Hamas commanders tied to the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, according to Israeli officials.

Israeli army soldiers stand atop the turret of a Merkava main battle tank positioned near armored military bulldozers along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Sept. 2, 2025. Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images

The Israeli military on May 27 said it killed Mohammad Odeh, Hamas’s newly appointed military chief, in an airstrike in Gaza.

The announcement came as Israeli forces intensified military operations across the enclave and southern Lebanon while ceasefire negotiations remained deadlocked.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Odeh’s death in a May 27 statement, describing him as a senior Hamas commander who led the group’s intelligence headquarters and helped coordinate Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.