Targeted operation also eliminated senior military commander; Israel alleges both were key figures in Hamas’s weapons funding and October 7 attack planning.
Israeli Forces Announce Killing of Hamas Financial Officer in Gaza Strike
JERUSALEM – The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that it had killed a high-ranking Hamas financial official in a targeted strike in the Gaza Strip two weeks ago.
Abdel Hay Zaqut, described as a financial officer within Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, was reportedly killed on December 13. The same operation eliminated Raed Saad, a senior military commander whom Israel identifies as one of the chief architects of the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
According to Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee, the strike was a joint operation conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency. Adraee stated that Zaqut was traveling in a vehicle with Saad when they were targeted.
In a statement posted on X, Adraee alleged that Zaqut “belonged to the financial department of the armed wing” and was responsible over the past year for “collecting and transferring tens of millions of dollars” to Hamas’s military wing to sustain its operations against Israel.
The IDF further described the late Raed Saad as having headed Hamas’s weapons production headquarters and overseen the group’s military build-up.
Hamas officials had previously confirmed the death of Raed Saad on December 14. Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza, announced Saad’s death “and his companions,” though he did not specifically name Zaqut at the time.
This announcement comes amid a fragile truce in Gaza that took effect on October 10, with both Israel and Hamas trading accusations of violations.
The conflict, now in its second year, was triggered by Hamas’s cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which Israeli officials say killed more than 1,200 people, most of them civilians.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 70,000 people, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The United Nations has stated it considers these figures credible.
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