Israel announced that it had targeted a senior leader in the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas during a military operation in the Gaza Strip, a move that raised questions about its timing and political and security implications, especially as it occurred while a ceasefire agreement remains in effect.
Although the official statement issued by the Israeli army did not name the targeted leader, Israeli media widely circulated the name Raad Saad, presenting him as the “second-in-command” of the Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and the deputy of its general commander.
In this context, Al Jazeera correspondent Elias Karam explained that the Israeli army’s decision not to name the individual likely reflects uncertainty over the outcome of the assassination attempt, noting that official statements are often delayed until intelligence confirmation of an operation’s success.
According to Karam, the Israeli statement merely referred to the targeting of a “senior leadership figure” in Hamas, claiming that he was involved in rebuilding military infrastructure directed against the Israeli army. This description was echoed by leaks attributed to security sources.
At the same time, Israeli media were keen to highlight Raad Saad’s alleged role, portraying him as the right-hand man of the late Al Qassam commander Mohammed Deif and as one of the main planners of the 7 October 2023 attack, in an apparent effort to justify the assassination attempt.
Israeli officials spoke of the operation as successful. A joint statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said they had ordered the assassination of Raad Saad in response to the detonation of an explosive device against the army earlier that day. The statement added that Saad was among the engineers of the 7 October attack and was working to reorganise Hamas and plan further attacks.
In the same context, a source from emergency and ambulance services in the Gaza Strip reported the killing of five people and the injury of more than 25 others, some in critical condition, after the occupation bombed a civilian vehicle southwest of Gaza City.
Violation of the Agreement
The Al Jazeera correspondent noted that this media narrative comes at a time when the ceasefire is supposed to remain in force, yet, according to his description, it is being repeatedly violated by Israel through bombardment, assassinations, and the demolition of homes inside the Strip.
The significance of this operation, if its success is confirmed, lies in the fact that it may represent the highest-profile assassination of a leader in Gaza since the ceasefire agreement came into effect on 10 October last year, particularly if Saad is indeed accurately described as a central figure responsible for reconstruction and armament within the movement.
In this regard, Karam pointed out that Israel considers all Hamas leaders, both political and military, to be legitimate targets and does not view the ceasefire agreement as providing them with any immunity, whether inside the Gaza Strip or beyond. This, he explained, accounts for the continuation of targeting operations.
The timing of the operation also carries an additional political dimension, as talk increases of US pressure to move to the second phase of the ceasefire. Israel may be seeking to obstruct this transition or reshape it according to its own conditions.
Karam affirmed that through this escalation, Israel is attempting to impose a security model similar to the one it applies in Lebanon, where it has carried out hundreds of assassinations against Hezbollah cadres since the ceasefire agreement there was signed on 27 November 2024.
Israeli Narratives
Regarding the circulating narratives about the success of the assassination, Karam explained that leaks issued by Israeli “security sources” essentially originate from the army itself, which prefers to delay an official announcement to avoid potential embarrassment should the results not be confirmed.
These leaks rely on an expanded narrative about Raad Saad’s profile and his alleged role in drafting the “Jericho Wall” document, which Israel accuses him of preparing as a plan for the 7 October attack, despite the fact that Israeli intelligence had previously reviewed the document without treating it seriously.
Israeli accounts also claim that Saad had recently assumed responsibility for rebuilding Hamas’s military capabilities, a claim that Tel Aviv uses as a direct justification for carrying out the assassination, under the pretext of pre-empting future threats.
Karam also spoke of previous attempts to assassinate Saad in recent weeks that were cancelled at the last moment for operational or intelligence reasons, until Israel determined that the “field opportunity” had become suitable to carry out the operation.
In the background of the scene, Karam links this escalation to the Israeli prime minister’s preparations for a visit to Washington, where he is expected to face US pressure to proceed to the second phase of the agreement, while seeking to impose stricter security conditions.
