The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed the killing of Mahmoud al-Aswad, head of Hamas' General Security Apparatus for West Gaza. According to the IDF, al-Aswad was a major intelligence figure for Hamas operations in the region. His death was announced in a military statement posted on the official X handle on Wednesday.

The statement described al-Aswad as a significant source of knowledge for Hamas. The IDF added that its troops are continuing large-scale operations on the outskirts of Gaza City and in Khan Yunis. These missions target underground and above-ground Hamas infrastructure as part of efforts to weaken the group's operational strength.

Israeli forces stressed that the elimination of al-Aswad was a major blow to Hamas' security network. They also said the ongoing raids are aimed at dismantling command centers, tunnels, and weapons storage facilities used by fighters. The announcement comes amid a renewed escalation in Gaza.

Earlier this week, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 20 people, including five journalists, after hitting al-Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. International media outlets confirmed the deaths of reporters from Reuters, Al Jazeera, NBC, and the Associated Press. Another Reuters photographer was seriously injured in the attack.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Gaza has become the deadliest place in the world for reporters. Since October 2023, more than 190 Palestinian journalists have been killed, surpassing global war-time totals in recent history.

Rights groups accuse Israel of deliberately targeting journalists in Gaza. The CPJ described the killings as a systematic attempt to silence independent reporting from the war-torn region.

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