Hamas confirmed Thursday that Israeli airstrikes killed Mohammed Odeh, the newly appointed head of its military wing, along with his wife and two children in a strike on Tuesday. The attack occurred on a market in Gaza City on the eve of Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday. At least five people were killed and 12 others injured in that strike, according to local hospitals.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced shortly after the strike that the Israeli military had targeted and killed Odeh. This marks the fourth time Israel has eliminated the head of Hamas's military wing since the start of the war, following the killing of predecessor Izz al-Din al-Haddad on May 16. More strikes in Gaza City on Wednesday evening killed at least seven additional people, including two children and a woman, with over 20 wounded, according to Shifa Hospital.
What the Right Is Saying
Israeli officials defended the strikes as essential to degrading Hamas's military capabilities and deterring future attacks. Defense Minister Katz called Odeh "one of the architects" of the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage, triggering the ongoing conflict. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel would continue targeting everyone involved in the October 2023 attack.
Republican lawmakers have largely supported Israel's right to pursue Hamas leadership, arguing that eliminating military commanders reduces threats to Israeli civilians and strengthens leverage for hostage negotiations. House Foreign Affairs Committee members have praised what they characterize as Israel's sustained pressure on militant leadership.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive critics argue that Israel's targeted killings of Hamas leaders undermine prospects for lasting peace in the region. Human rights organizations have called for independent investigations into civilian casualties from the strikes, noting that attacks on populated market areas raise concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law. Some Democratic lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to increase pressure on Israel to prioritize hostage release negotiations over military targeting operations.
Congressional Progressive Caucus members have stated that repeated cycles of targeted killings without a clear political strategy do not appear to advance U.S. interests in regional stability or the safe return of remaining hostages held in Gaza since October 2023.
What the Numbers Show
The Gaza Health Ministry, part of Hamas's governing structure but staffed by medical professionals whose records are considered generally reliable by international bodies, reports that more than 72,803 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military action since October 2023. According to U.N. estimates, approximately 90 percent of Gaza's population of more than 2 million people have been displaced from their homes.
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas reached in October remains technically in effect but has faced repeated violations according to both sides. Since the ceasefire took hold, Israeli attacks have killed more than 900 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials. Four Israeli soldiers have also been killed during this period. The strikes that killed Odeh occurred despite the fragile truce, with Israel stating its attacks responded to Hamas violations or threats to soldiers.
The Bottom Line
The killing of Mohammed Odeh less than two weeks after his predecessor's death underscores the ongoing instability in Gaza despite the October ceasefire agreement. Both sides accuse each other of violating the terms of the pause in fighting, which was designed to facilitate hostage releases and increase humanitarian aid flows into the territory. Israel's repeated elimination of Hamas military leadership signals a strategy of continuous pressure rather than diplomatic engagement, while Hamas has repeatedly appointed successors within days of each killing. What happens next will likely depend on whether both parties choose to reinforce the existing ceasefire or allow it to collapse entirely.