Izz ad-Din Al-Bik, commander of the Northern Gaza Brigade in Hamas' military wing, was killed early Tuesday morning in a targeted airstrike in western Gaza City.
Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed the assassination in a joint statement: "The IDF foiled last night in Gaza Ezz-Aladdin Beik, commander of the northern Gaza Strip brigade of the Hamas terrorist organization, who was plotting terror against our forces and working to recruit terrorist operatives for the organization. We commend the IDF and the Shin Bet for their determined activity against Hamas commanders and terrorists.".
""We will continue to hunt and pursue all of the organization's terrorists, from its commanders to the last of its operatives, wherever they hide - until there is no Hamas in Gaza.".
According to reports from inside the Strip, warplanes attacked a hideout apartment where Al-Bik was staying in the a-Nasr neighborhood using three heavy bombs, which led to the destruction of the compound and the killing of the terrorist.
Al-Bik is considered one of the central figures in the terrorist organization's military council and the one who managed the fighting and defense system in the Gaza City area.
He is the third brigade commander in the military wing that the IDF has eliminated in the past month, following the elimination of the commanders of the Rafah Brigade and the Khan Yunis Brigade.
Ezz-Din Al-Bik inherited command of the northern Gaza Strip sector, after his predecessor Ahmed Ghandour was killed in an IDF airstrike.
Albik survived four assassination attempts by Israel, until he was eliminated today.
