The key facts

  • Al-Qassam announced the death of Rafah Brigade commander Samir Abu Yunis in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis
  • The Israeli army earlier reported a strike, together with Shin Bet, on a senior member of Hamas's armed wing without naming him
  • According to Gaza's health ministry, ceasefire violations since October 10, 2025 have killed 1,643 Palestinians

Announcement of the commander's death

Hamas's military wing — the Al-Qassam Brigades — announced overnight into Sunday that its Rafah Brigade commander, Samir Mahmoud Abu Yunis, was killed in an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza Strip. According to the Brigades, he was a member of the General Military Council and was killed in the Al-Mawasi area in Khan Younis.

The Israeli army and medics' data

Earlier, the Israeli army said it had carried out a strike, together with the Shin Bet security service, on a senior member of Hamas's armed wing, without naming the target. Nasser Medical Complex reported that an Israeli drone strike in Al-Mawasi killed one Palestinian and wounded two others. Abu Yunis commanded the Rafah Brigade after Nael Abu Obeida, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Khan Younis on September 15.

Statistics since the ceasefire

According to Gaza's health ministry, cited in the report, since the ceasefire agreement took effect on October 10, 2025, Israeli violations have killed 1,643 Palestinians and wounded 5,964 as of Saturday. Since October 2023, according to the same ministry, the war in Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and wounded over 176,000 — most of them women and children. According to the same data, about 90% of Gaza's infrastructure has been destroyed, and the UN estimates the cost of reconstruction at approximately $71.4 billion.