Jerusalem: The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Friday that it had killed a senior member of the Islamic State (IS) group in the Gaza Strip over the past week.
The IDF identified the man as Muhammad Abd al-Aziz Abu Zubaida, who served as head of the Palestine District of the IS in the Gaza Strip — the most senior position within the group in the territory.
According to the IDF statement, Abu Zubaida was targeted in an airstrike carried out under intelligence guidance. He was allegedly responsible for setting policy, planning operations, and overseeing IS activities in the West Bank, Gaza, and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
The IDF said IS fighters had been directly engaged in battles against Israeli forces in Gaza, and accused the group of transferring combat equipment, as well as raising significant funds from the West Bank into the Gaza Strip.
“The IDF will continue to operate against terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip,” the statement said
