Hamas’s internal security force claims that reports of the elimination of a senior commander were Israeli propaganda.
Hamas’s internal security force issued an unusual warning following reports of the possible assassination of a senior commander in the organization, Izz al-Din al-Qassam, commander of the Gaza Brigade, who according to various claims took command after the assassination of Mohammad al-Sinwar.
In the statement, Hamas attributes the reports to “enemy media” and warns that these are “rumors” aimed at disrupting the internal front, embarrassing the leadership, and gaining an intelligence advantage.
“This is nothing but psychological warfare,” Hamas stated, adding that the spread of rumors serves the Israeli intelligence apparatus and is intended to reveal the locations of fighters and command staff.
Furthermore, Hamas security officials claimed that they are monitoring “mercenaries” on behalf of Israel, operating east of Rafah, with the aim of gathering intelligence, checking structures, clearing areas, luring soldiers into ambushes, and establishing internal roadblocks. According to them, this is a large-scale operation of internal cooperation aimed at identifying and locating wanted individuals.
Meanwhile, reports coming from Gaza suggest that Hamas’s security mechanisms executed 11 individuals on charges of collaborating with Israel and theft. According to testimonies, collaborators were executed with a scalpel, while thieves were punished by amputating limbs before their execution. The reports have not yet been officially confirmed by Hamas.
