IDF, Shin Bet Kill Hamas Rafah Brigade Commander Nael Abu Obeid

The IDF and Shin Bet said they killed Nael Abu Obeid, commander of Hamas's Rafah Brigade, in a strike in the southern Gaza Strip on September 15, 2026. Abu Obeid succeeded Mohammad Shabanah, who was killed in May 2025, and had previously served as the brigade's deputy commander and as commander of its Tel al-Sultan and Yibna Battalions. Army Radio reported the IDF and Shin Bet had tracked him for weeks; he rarely moved alone, staying among other people or inside populated areas as a security precaution. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz said the strike showed 'no terrorist is immune, and Hamas will not be in Gaza.'