Overview
- Israel’s government and the IDF said Raed (Raad) Saad, who led Hamas’s weapons production and helped plan the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, was eliminated in Gaza City.
- Palestinian clinic sources and civil defence reported additional fatalities from the vehicle strike in the Tel al‑Hawa/Rashid coastal area, with tolls ranging from four to five.
- Hamas acknowledged Saad’s death and publicly rejected demands to disarm, with Gaza leader Khalil al‑Hayya insisting the group retains a right to keep weapons.
- The operation is being framed as a potential truce violation, and Axios and reporter Barak Ravid cited Israeli officials saying Washington was not notified beforehand.
- Severe flooding from storm systems killed at least 16 people and damaged more than 53,000 tents, worsening humanitarian conditions as a new study on local media ties prompted outlets like ZDF to tighten vetting.