IDF Confirms Death of Hamas Commander Mahmoud Hamdan After Earlier Misreporting
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed that Mahmoud Hamdan, the commander of Hamas’s Tel Sultan Battalion, was killed on Friday, contradicting an earlier announcement that he had died in September. Hamdan was reportedly responsible for guarding Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and was linked to the tragic deaths of six Israeli hostages in Rafah in late August.
According to IDF sources, Hamdan played a “significant part” in orchestrating the onslaught on October 7 and was implicated in various attacks during the ongoing conflict. “A few weeks ago, it was determined that Hamdan was most likely eliminated based on intelligence information. Today’s assessment indicates that the intelligence finding regarding his prior death was inaccurate,” an IDF spokesperson stated.
Hamdan continued to protect Sinwar until his own death during a firefight with troops from the Bislamach Brigade, located about 200 meters from the site of Sinwar’s own death earlier this week. This renewed conflict accentuates ongoing tensions in the area.
It seems this September 10 strike didn’t actually kill Mahmoud Hamdan, as Israeli military claims; it’s more likely he was killed yesterday alongside Sinwar, since his ID cards were seemingly found at the house in Tel al-Sultan, and Hamas has now also confirmed his death. pic.twitter.com/voOMZqqwPt
— Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) October 18, 2024
Initially, when the IDF prematurely declared Hamdan dead, they stated that he had been killed along with three company commanders from the Tel Sultan Battalion in a strike several weeks earlier. Video footage accompanying that claim raised further scrutiny.
On the same day that Hamdan’s death was announced, the army released footage showcasing the tunnel where the six hostages he was assigned to guard had been held. This underground facility was reportedly not tall enough for them to stand upright. Following news of Sinwar’s demise, the Times of Israel reported that DNA linked to Sinwar had been found in the vicinity of a separate tunnel used during the hostage crisis but could not confirm when he had been there.
The six hostages—Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Alex Lobanov, Carmel Gat, and Almog Sarusi—are believed to have been executed on August 29, shortly before troops located their remains two days later.
This combination of six undated photos shows hostages, from top left, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi; from bottom left, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat. (The Hostages Families Forum via AP)
Yahya Sinwar, who was widely regarded as the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023, attack that ignited the current conflict, had previously been noted for surrounding himself with hostages among the 251 individuals taken during the assault.
As news of Sinwar’s death circulated, Israeli officials swiftly clarified that no hostages had been discovered near his location. Current estimates suggest that approximately 97 of the original 251 hostages remain in Gaza. The IDF has confirmed the deaths of at least 34 hostages, while 105 civilians were released as a result of a temporary truce in late November, alongside additional releases of hostages facilitated by military operations.
The ongoing operation raises many questions regarding the fate of other hostages still in captivity, including two Israeli civilians taken into Gaza in 2014 and 2015 and the remains of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.
Discussion
To gain more insight into the implications of this incident and the broader conflict, we spoke to leading experts:
Guest Insights
Dr. Sarah Cohen, Middle East Analyst: “The death of Hamdan marks a significant moment for the IDF’s operations against Hamas. His role in the hostage situation brings to light the complex dynamics of warfare and hostage negotiations.”
Professor Amir Levy, Conflict Resolution Expert: “While the military may see this as a tactical victory, the humanitarian implications cannot be overlooked. These ongoing tensions continue to impact civilians gravely.”
Dr. Zineb Rahman, Counter-Terrorism Specialist: “Understanding the patterns of leadership in groups like Hamas is crucial. The power vacuum left in the wake of such key figures often leads to instability.”
Join the Conversation
What are your thoughts on the developments surrounding Hamas’s leadership and the ongoing conflict? We invite you to share your opinions in the comments below!