A senior militant who died in a Gaza City airstrike on Tuesday was tasked with overseeing various detainees, according to Israeli officials. The military identified Izz al-Din al-Bik, leader of the Northern Gaza Brigade for Hamas, as the officer who managed the captivity of 15 individuals, including Shani Louk and Mia Schem. The IDF also stated that al-Bik helped establish Nukhba forces in the north and was involved in the October 7 infiltration into Israeli territory.

The death of al-Bik in the al-Nasr neighborhood marks the 4th time in 3 weeks that a Hamas brigade commander has been eliminated, following similar strikes against leadership in Khan Younis and Rafah. Hamas confirmed the killing of al-Bik, a former intelligence chief and member of the General Military Council, noting that he had led the brigade since Ahmed Ghandour was killed in November 2023.