The war in Gaza was just exacerbated by Hamas’ admission that its new military leader, Mohammed Odeh, was killed in a strike from an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City. The strike took place two weeks after the death of the group’s former military commander, another blow to Hamas’ leadership structure as the conflict continues.
Mohammed Odeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City along with his wife and two children on Tuesday, Hamas said. At least five people were killed and 12 others wounded, local hospitals said. The strike took place on Eid al-Adha, one of the most important Islamic festivals in the world and one of the most celebrated by Muslims.
Earlier in the week, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that Israeli forces had targeted Odeh as one of the masterminds behind the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. Israel will continue to hunt down Hamas leaders who were behind the deadly attacks that led to the current war in Gaza, he said.
The funeral procession for Mohammed Odeh and his family was held in Gaza City as thousands of mourners gathered despite the continued bombardment and humanitarian crisis. Video of the funeral showed mourners carrying four bodies wrapped in green Hamas flags along the streets and chanting slogans and firing shots into the air. Some held posters describing Odeh as one of the senior commanders of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing.
Hamas strongly condemned the Israeli strike, calling Odeh one of the founding generation leaders who played a key role in establishing the group’s military and armed operations more than three decades ago. The organisation portrayed him as a veteran figure deeply involved in Hamas’ armed resistance movement since its early years.
Still, Israeli officials defended the operation and stated that the elimination of senior Hamas commanders was a key objective of the military campaign. Israel Katz said it was the fourth time Israel had killed the chief of Hamas’s military wing since the October 7 attacks. Israel would continue to target all Hamas leaders involved in the attacks on Israeli civilians, he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also reiterated that Israel is ready to dismantle Hamas’ military and governing capacities in Gaza. Israeli leaders posted on X: “Hamas will not be allowed to operate as a military organisation or as a governing authority in the Palestinian territory.”
Hamas confirms death of military chief Mohammed Odeh; defiant funeral held in Gaza City https://t.co/ZMOWWvDj1F
— The Times of Israel (@TimesofIsrael) May 27, 2026
The latest strike has only added to a sense of mourning and devastation among Gaza residents who are preparing for Eid al-Adha under very difficult circumstances. Family events are celebrated and festivals held (as usual), but this year, the festival is more about destruction and displacement and mourning.
According to UN estimates, more than 90 per cent of Gaza’s population has been displaced because of the ongoing conflict. Millions of Palestinians are currently living in overcrowded shelters, temporary camps, and damaged buildings and have little access to food, clean water, and medical care. And millions of families depend on humanitarian assistance for survival.
Gaza residents say the spirit of Eid has disappeared amid the violence and loss of life. “This is not Eid… we are like living corpses,” Mahmoud Saker, a displaced resident from Khan Younis, said. What he said speaks to the emotional and psychological trauma that civilians cope with when in a conflict zone.
But with no immediate resolution in sight as the war goes on, the world is growing more concerned about the worsening humanitarian crisis, the growing number of civilians dying, and the threat of further escalation across the region.
