Defense Minister Israel Katz has called for the assassination of militant figures living in exile, promising that no one involved in the October 7 attacks will be allowed to "die peacefully." Katz stated that Hamas officials residing in foreign countries are now priority targets, noting a previous attempt to hit targets in Qatar that failed due to a "malfunction." Hamas has since confirmed that Izz al-Din al-Bik, commander of its Northern Gaza Brigade, was killed in an Israeli strike, identifying him as a former intelligence chief and a primary architect of the 2023 onslaught.

The death of al-Bik in an overnight air attack on a residential building in Gaza City's al-Nasr neighborhood marks the fourth elimination of a Hamas brigade commander in three weeks. Previous strikes hit the leadership of the Khan Younis and Rafah brigades. The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed the operation, asserting al-Bik had been recruiting operatives and organizing new attacks against Israeli forces since taking command after Ahmed Ghandour was killed in November 2023.