Israel says it killed senior Islamic Jihad commander in northern Gaza strike

A senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander was killed in an Israeli strike in northern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday, describing him as one of the highest-ranking militants targeted since the October 2025 ceasefire.

In a separate announcement, Israeli security agencies said another strike killed a man they accused of murdering an Israeli soldier held captive during the October 7, 2023 attacks. The statements come amid renewed Israeli operations that the military says were launched after what it described as a breach of the ceasefire arrangement overnight.

The developments underline the fragility of the truce and the continued cycle of targeted strikes and retaliatory actions in Gaza, even as diplomatic efforts to stabilize the situation continue.

Senior PIJ figure targeted in northern Gaza

The IDF identified the PIJ commander as Ali Raziana, whom it said led the group’s Northern Gaza Brigade and served on its military council. According to the military, Raziana was responsible for deploying PIJ fighters across northern Gaza and for coordinating operational activity with Hamas against Israeli forces.

“In response to the blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement overnight, the IDF and the Israel Security Agency struck and eliminated the terrorist Ali Raziana,” the military said in a statement.

The IDF said Raziana had played a role in efforts to rebuild PIJ’s northern command structure since the ceasefire came into effect. It also alleged that he had overseen the holding of Israeli hostages in northern Gaza during the war.

Israel has continued to conduct targeted operations in Gaza since the ceasefire, though most of those previously announced involved what the military described as mid-level field commanders. The IDF said Raziana’s position as a brigade commander placed him among the most senior PIJ figures killed in Gaza in recent months.

The only higher-ranking Gaza-based militant killed since the ceasefire, according to Israeli statements, was Raad Saad, described by Israel as Hamas’s deputy leader in the territory, who was reported killed in December 2025.

The IDF also said it struck and killed a Hamas Nukhba platoon commander in southern Gaza earlier on Wednesday. Nukhba units are Hamas’s elite assault forces, which Israel says played a central role in the October 7 attacks.

Killing linked to death of Israeli captive

In a separate statement, the IDF and the Shin Bet domestic security agency said they had killed Muhammad Issam Hassan al-Habil, whom they accused of killing IDF Cpl. Noa Marciano while she was held captive in Gaza.

Marciano, an observer soldier stationed at the Nahal Oz base, was abducted during the October 7, 2023 assault on southern Israel. Her death in captivity was later confirmed by Israeli authorities.

According to the Shin Bet, interrogations of suspects and intelligence gathered during the war led to the identification of al-Habil as the person responsible for her killing.

“This elimination brings closure for the Marciano family and to the IDF and ISA,” the agencies said in their statement.

No independent confirmation of the claims was immediately available, and neither PIJ nor Hamas publicly commented on the Israeli announcements at the time of publication.

Ceasefire strains and continued operations

The Israeli statements framed the strikes as a response to what the military called a violation of the ceasefire agreement overnight. The nature of that alleged violation was not detailed.

Since the truce was reached in October 2025, Israeli officials have repeatedly warned that they would continue to act against what they describe as imminent threats or attempts by armed groups to rebuild operational capabilities inside Gaza.

Palestinian armed groups have previously accused Israel of undermining the ceasefire through continued airstrikes and targeted killings, while Israel maintains that such actions are defensive and intelligence-driven.

The exchange highlights the continuing volatility in Gaza, where formal ceasefire arrangements have not fully halted military activity on either side.

Broader context

Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a smaller but closely allied group to Hamas, has long operated alongside Hamas in Gaza and has been a frequent target of Israeli strikes. Israel, the United States and the European Union designate both organizations as terrorist groups.

Brigade-level commanders are considered among the most senior operational leaders within Gaza’s armed factions, typically overseeing thousands of fighters and broader defensive and offensive planning.

The targeting of figures at that level signals Israel’s continued focus on dismantling command structures it believes could enable future attacks, even after large-scale hostilities have subsided.

As of Wednesday, there was no indication that the incidents had prompted an immediate broader escalation, though analysts note that such targeted killings have historically carried the risk of renewed flare-ups.