Israel kills top Hamas leader responsible for Oct 7 attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) announced Tuesday it launched a drone strike that killed a top Hamas commander who was behind last year's Oct. 7 attack on the Kibbutz Nir Oz. 

The IDF identified Hamas commander Abd al-Hadi Sabah as the perpetrator behind the kibbutz attack, which resulted in the deaths or capture of nearly half of the community's 400 residents, per Fox News. The kibbutz is located in southern Israel, near the Gaza border.

Sabah was discovered hiding in a shelter in a designated humanitarian area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, the IDF said.

The agency said the drone strike was conducted in conjunction with the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) and that Sabah had also led "numerous terrorist attacks against IDF troops throughout the current war."

"The IDF and ISA will continue to operate against all of the terrorists who took part in the murderous October 7 Massacre," the agencies said in a post on X.

The IDF also claimed Hamas fired two new rockets at Israel on Tuesday, triggering sirens in southern Israel. 

The attacks come as the Biden administration hopes to secure a last-minute peace agreement ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's term in office. Administration officials last week said they believed a cease-fire was still within reach, but negotiations for such an agreement have stalled since Christmas Eve.

Both Israel and Hamas have claimed the other side is imposing unreasonable demands, but White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby blamed the stall on Hamas last week.

“It is because of Hamas throwing up obstacles or refusing to move on any of these details that we are still not at a conclusion,” Kirby said at a press briefing on Dec. 27. “But we believe ... we’re very, very close, and so we’re not going to give up.”

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.