The IDF said on Wednesday that it eliminated a “senior Hamas weapons developer” in an airstrike on the Gaza Strip.
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IDF troops are continuing to operate inside the Gaza Strip to kill terrorists and direct aircraft to strike terror infrastructure. Based on [Shin Bet] and IDF intelligence, an IDF fighter jet killed Mohsen Abu Zina, Hamas' Head of Weapons and Industries in its manufacturing department,” a statement read.
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Hamas weapons chief Mohsen Abu Zina eliminated in IDF airstrike
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
“As part of his role, Mohsen Abu Zina served as one of Hamas’ leading weapons developers and was an expert in developing strategic weapons and rockets used by Hamas terrorists.”
The army further said that it “identified a terrorist cell that planned to fire anti-tank missiles at the forces. The troops directed an aircraft that struck the cell and killed several terrorists.” Israeli forces also “directed an aircraft to a strike on a terrorist cell responsible for launching rockets toward Israel. Several terrorists were killed in the strike.”
IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that as of Tuesday, the IDF has struck 14,000 targets in the Gaza Strip since the onset of fighting last month, including over 100 terror tunnel shafts and more than 4,000 weapon systems, many of which are embedded in densely populated civilian areas. “Hamas is making a cynical use of its population as human shields,” he said.
Operations continue in the Gaza Strip amidst mounting pressure from the U.S. government on Israel to scale back the intensity of its air strikes to minimize civilian casualties. Israeli officials affirmed they too do not wish to harm civilians.
Meanwhile, Washington is advocating for lulls in fighting to improve chances for a potential agreement on the release of hostages.
The messages were conveyed to Israel through several channels— from the White House, the State Department and directly from CIA Director Bill Burns during his visit with Israeli officials.
Additionally, President Joe Biden personally reaffirmed the message, noting that in his recent conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he advocated for a pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Against the backdrop of growing U.S. pressure, Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant rejected calls for a cease-fire in their separate statements Tuesday, setting a firm stance. "There will be no cease-fire without the return of the hostages. There is no stepping back.”