Israeli forces launched a precision strike on Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida in Gaza City on Saturday evening, with Israeli officials expressing “cautious optimism” that the terror group’s propaganda chief was eliminated, though his death has not been confirmed.
The IDF and Shin Bet security agency said the operation targeted Abu Obeida—identified by Israel as Hudhayfa Kahlout—in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City. The strike was carried out using precision-guided munitions following extensive aerial surveillance, with officials telling the Jerusalem Post they are optimistic about the outcome but awaiting confirmation.
Abu Obeida has been one of Hamas’s most visible figures for decades, serving as the theatrical mouthpiece for its military wing. Known for hiding behind a red keffiyeh and earning the nickname “the man in the mask,” his staged broadcasts on Al Jazeera and other outlets helped him cultivate a cult-like following among terror supporters across the Arab world. Israeli intelligence has repeatedly worked to undermine that persona, unmasking him as Kahlout and exposing his role in Hamas’s propaganda apparatus.
If confirmed, his elimination will mark a major symbolic and intelligence victory for Israel, dealing a blow to Hamas’s ability to control its narrative at a time when its senior leadership has been systematically dismantled. The strike marks at least the second known attempt on his life—an earlier May operation that killed Mohammed Sinwar also targeted Obeida, though he escaped that strike.
The timing of the latest operation came around the same time Hamas released a propaganda video acknowledging for the first time that Mohammed Sinwar—known as “The Shadow,” brother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and a top military commander—was killed months ago in an Israeli strike. The video, noted by the Times of Israel, showed previously unseen footage of Mohammed alongside other eliminated commanders, hailing them as “martyrs” while conspicuously avoiding details of how they were tracked and killed in tunnel networks beneath Khan Younis.
The admission underlined what Israel has long asserted—that Hamas conceals battlefield losses from its own population until it can spin them for propaganda value. Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the October 7 massacre, was himself eliminated in October. Together, the loss of both brothers represents a devastating blow to Hamas’s leadership structure.
Hamas responded to the Abu Obeida strike by accusing Israel of hitting a residential building and causing “dozens of deaths and injuries,” echoing its familiar claims of civilian targeting. Israeli officials countered that Hamas systematically embeds military infrastructure in civilian areas, using Gaza’s population as human shields in violation of international law.
The strike also followed a night of Hamas-driven disinformation, including fabricated reports of Israeli soldier kidnappings broadcast uncritically by Al Jazeera. IDF Arabic-language spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee blasted the Qatari network for serving as a propaganda arm for Hamas, accusing it of spreading “a big lie” after the reports were exposed as false.
Abu Obeida’s propaganda role has been a central focus of Israeli cyber and intelligence operations for years. During the 2014 Gaza conflict, Israeli units hacked Hamas’s Al Aqsa TV channel to broadcast unmasked images of Obeida, warning Gaza residents “not to believe this liar.” At the start of the current war, the IDF publicly identified him as Hudhayfa Kahlout, stressing that “he hides behind the alias Abu Obeida and his red keffiyeh, just as Hamas hides behind civilian infrastructure.”
Saturday’s operation came amid heavy fighting in Gaza City, where Israeli ground forces continue to face ambushes and IED attacks. On Friday, seven soldiers were wounded when a Namer armored personnel carrier was struck in the Zeitoun neighborhood, underscoring the intensity of the ongoing urban battle.
While Abu Obeida’s fate remains unconfirmed, Israeli officials say the strike is part of a broader campaign to systematically dismantle Hamas’s leadership. With both Sinwar brothers now dead—including Mohammed “The Shadow” Sinwar—and the propaganda chief himself possibly eliminated, the terror group is struggling to maintain command and control over its forces—let alone the narrative it broadcasts to the outside world.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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