Gaza City, Oct 3 — An Israeli airstrike on September 29 killed Izz al-Din al-Beik, the head of Hamas’s armed wing in northern Gaza, Israeli officials said.

The strike hit an apartment building in Gaza City’s Nasr neighborhood at dawn. Israel said al-Beik planned attacks and recruited militants; Hamas confirmed his death. Another person later died of injuries.

Israel’s military said al-Beik had overseen the detention of Israeli captives during the war.

Separately, on October 1, Israeli forces killed Ammar Mahmoud Shrafi, described as a Hamas department commander involved in planning attacks.

Israel says it has killed at least 20 Hamas figures this month. Gaza health officials say at least 1,400 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect, and more than 73,000 since October 2023. Israel has intensified strikes ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks. The military remains on maximum alert in Gaza.+ The IDF says operations will continue until the remaining commanders are eliminated. Ceasefire talks on disarmament and withdrawal remain stalled.