BREAKING: Abu Obeida’s Disappearance Sends Shockwaves Through Hamas

Reports emerging from Gaza suggest that Abu Obeida, the masked spokesman of Hamas’s military wing, may have been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. Yet, as of Sunday morning, confirmation of his death remains elusive.

According to Saudi-owned Al Arabiya, a Palestinian source claimed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted an apartment in northern Gaza where Obeida was present. The source alleged that the strike killed everyone inside, including Obeida, and that senior Hamas operatives and members of his family later confirmed his death.

In a joint statement, the IDF and Shin Bet said the strike was aimed at “a senior Hamas terrorist in Gaza City.” Israeli officials expressed optimism that the operation had succeeded, though they emphasized that verification is still pending.

The military stressed that precautions were taken ahead of the strike to minimize civilian casualties, citing precision-guided munitions, live aerial surveillance, and intelligence-based targeting.

Obeida, who for years served as the faceless voice of Hamas’s military wing, has been a central figure in the group’s propaganda efforts. Just two days before the strike, he warned that Israeli hostages were being held in active combat zones alongside Hamas fighters.

“They will remain with our fighters in the places of confrontation, exposed to the same risks,” Hamas declared in a message broadcast on Friday.

The possible death of Obeida, if confirmed, would mark a symbolic blow to Hamas at a time when Israel is preparing for a deeper ground incursion into Gaza City. Yet without official verification, his fate continues to be the subject of speculation, both in Israel and across the Arab media landscape.