The key facts
- The Israeli army announced the elimination of Jamil Abu Takia and Ibrahim Jihad Muhammad Abu Ushaiba in the Gaza Strip
- According to Israeli military officials, Abu Takia was involved in holding hostages, including Russian citizens
- The fates of the mentioned hostages differ: one was freed, one died in captivity, and one returned in 2025
Statement by the Israel Defense Forces
The Israeli army announced the elimination of two commanders of Hamas's military wing in the Gaza Strip. One of the strikes targeted the area of the Nuseirat refugee camp. According to the army's press service, the target of the attack was Jamil Abu Takia, who commanded one of the units of the Palestinian organization. The same attack also killed Ibrahim Jihad Muhammad Abu Ushaiba, who, according to the military, commanded another unit of Hamas's military wing.
Connection to the fates of Russian hostages
Israeli military officials claim that Abu Takia was involved in holding numerous hostages seized by Hamas during the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Among them were Russian citizens Andrei Kozlov and Alexander Lobanov, as well as Maxim Kharkin, a native of Donbas. These claims come from the Israeli side; no independent confirmation of Abu Takia's role is provided in the publications.
What is known about the fate of the mentioned hostages
The fates of the three mentioned hostages turned out differently, and Life.ru reported this information earlier in separate publications. Andrei Kozlov was freed in June 2024 during an Israeli special operation. Alexander Lobanov died in captivity in August of the same year. Maxim Kharkin returned from captivity in October 2025 under the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza Strip, and after his release he received Russian citizenship.
