September 29: An Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in Gaza City killed Izz al-Din al-Beik, the head of Hamas’s armed wing in the northern Gaza Strip, around dawn on Tuesday. Israel’s leaders announced the killing and Hamas confirmed it. It is the latest in a string of Israeli strikes on Hamas commanders during a US-brokered ceasefire that has held on paper since October 2025 but has stalled on its hardest questions.
Key highlights
- Who: Izz al-Din al-Beik (also spelled Ezz al-Din al-Beik), commander of the Qassam Brigades’ northern Gaza brigade, according to The New Arab. Reuters described him as the head of Hamas’s armed wing in the northern Gaza Strip.
- Where: An apartment building in Gaza City’s Nasr neighbourhood.
- Casualties: One other person died of wounds from the strike, Reuters reported.
- Israel’s claim: In a joint statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said al-Beik had been involved in planning attacks and recruiting militants. Israel’s military says it has killed at least 20 Hamas figures this month.
- Hamas’s response: Hamas confirmed the killing. It denies trying to carry out attacks or rebuild its arsenal, and accuses Israel of undermining the Gaza deal.
Who was Izz al-Din al-Beik
According to The New Arab, al-Beik was born in 1981 in the Jabalia refugee camp and joined the Qassam Brigades in 2000. He previously commanded the brigade’s Imad Aqel Battalion and served as intelligence chief for the northern brigade. He took over the brigade after its previous commander, Ahmed al-Ghandour, was killed in November 2023. Netanyahu and Katz said Israel would keep pursuing Hamas members “wherever they may hide,” the outlet reported.
A ceasefire under strain
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States, took effect in October 2025, but it has made little progress since then. According to Reuters, the two sides have not agreed on the terms under which Hamas would disarm and Israel would withdraw its forces further. Israel accuses Hamas of rearming and launching attacks, and Hamas accuses Israel of undermining the deal.
At least 1,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, Reuters reported. Citing Gaza’s health authorities, The New Arab put the figure at 1,421 killed and 4,983 wounded. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period. More than 73,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to figures cited by Reuters.
The strike comes during a busy stretch of regional diplomacy. Qatar’s prime minister recently called Netanyahu the “biggest obstacle” to it (our report), and Netanyahu made an unannounced trip to Abu Dhabi to meet the UAE president (our coverage).
What to watch
The key question is whether Hamas responds militarily, which would put the fragile truce at further risk, or keeps to its public position of denying any rearmament. Also watch whether mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States push for a new round of talks on disarmament and withdrawal. Israel has said it will keep targeting commanders it accuses of planning attacks.
Sources
- TimesLIVE (Reuters): Airstrike in Gaza kills Hamas armed wing chief, say officials
- ABC News (Australia): Israeli air strike kills Hamas leader in Gaza
- The New Arab: Israel kills senior Hamas commander Ezz al-Din al-Beik in Gaza
- Al Jazeera: Israeli forces kill Hamas commander Izz al-Din al-Beik in Gaza attack
The International Desk covers world and Asian affairs, diplomacy and conflict, with a focus on what they mean for India. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
