IDF, Shin Bet Kill Hamas Operative Behind October 7 Massacre, Kidnapping

On August 10, 2025, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet, under Southern Command direction, conducted a targeted strike that killed Jihad Kamal Salem Najjar, a Hamas military operative involved in the October 7, 2023, massacre at Kibbutz Nir Oz and the kidnapping of Yarden Bibas. Bibas was the sole surviving member of his family, as his wife Shiri and their two young children were murdered by Hamas, with their bodies returned to Israel in a hostage exchange. The strike follows previous IDF and Shin Bet operations that eliminated other senior Hamas militants responsible for the same massacre and kidnappings. Yarden Bibas expressed some closure from the killing but emphasized that full resolution awaits the return of the remaining 50 hostages. The October 7 massacre resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and more than 250 abductions, triggering the ongoing Gaza conflict, which has since caused significant Palestinian casualties and drawn international criticism of Israel's conduct. The IDF and Shin Bet affirmed their commitment to continuing operations against those responsible for the atrocities.