The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Monday that it had eliminated the head of Palestinian movement Hamas in the West Bank, Yassin Rabia, as well as another senior official, in an airstrike in the northwestern part of the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip.
The statement noted that Rabia directed all Hamas activities in Judea and Samaria and "planned Hamas terror attacks" in the region.
"The IDF is aware of reports indicating that as a result of the strike and fire that was ignited several civilians in the area were harmed. The incident is under review," the statement added.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel and breached the border, attacking both civilian neighborhoods and military bases.
Nearly 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted during the attack. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 35,900 people have been killed so far by Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip, according to local authorities. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.