A fragile truce and a targeted killing

December 15, 2025

Hamas’s senior official in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, said on Sunday that the group’s chief of weapons production, Raed Saad, was killed in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip a day earlier, marking another escalation amid an already fragile ceasefire.

Speaking in a televised address broadcast on Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV, al-Hayya said the Palestinian people were enduring immense suffering and described the killing of Saad as part of a broader pattern of losses. He claimed that more than 70,000 Palestinians had been killed since the start of the conflict, adding that Saad and others who died alongside him were “martyred.” According to al-Hayya, Saad was a key commander within Hamas and played a central role in the group’s military operations.

The Israeli military confirmed carrying out a targeted strike in Gaza City and said it had killed Raed Saad, whom it described as a senior Hamas commander. Israeli officials said Saad was one of the planners of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, which triggered the ongoing war, and accused him of being actively involved in efforts to rebuild Hamas’s military capabilities in violation of the ceasefire agreement currently in place.

According to Israeli statements, the strike targeted a vehicle in Gaza City. Gaza health officials reported that at least four to five people were killed in the attack, while dozens more were wounded. The exact number of casualties has not been independently verified, and conflicting accounts remain over whether those killed were militants or civilians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that the strike was ordered in direct response to a recent militant incident in Gaza. They said Hamas had detonated an explosive device in what Israel refers to as the “Yellow Area” of the Gaza Strip, wounding Israeli soldiers. In response, the Israeli leadership said they instructed the military to eliminate Raed Saad, whom they described as a “terrorist” responsible for planning attacks against Israeli forces.
Under the US-mediated ceasefire arrangement, Israeli troops have pulled back to positions behind what is known as the Yellow Line, a demarcation area inside the Gaza Strip. However, Israel continues to maintain control over more than half of the territory, citing security concerns and the need to prevent renewed militant activity. Israeli officials have repeatedly accused Hamas of violating the terms of the ceasefire by attempting to regroup, move weapons, and plan further attacks.
Israel framed the strike on Saad as a necessary and proportionate response to what it said were ongoing security threats and repeated ceasefire violations by Hamas. Officials said that allowing senior Hamas commanders to operate freely would undermine the truce and endanger Israeli soldiers and civilians.
Hamas, however, strongly condemned the strike, calling it a clear violation of the ceasefire. The group accused Israel of deliberately targeting a civilian vehicle and escalating tensions at a time when Gaza’s population is already facing severe humanitarian conditions. Hamas officials said such actions jeopardize any prospects for maintaining the truce and warned that continued Israeli strikes could lead to renewed fighting.
The incident highlights the fragility of the ceasefire, which has been under strain amid mutual accusations of violations. While the agreement has led to a reduction in large-scale hostilities, sporadic violence, targeted strikes, and militant attacks have continued, keeping the risk of escalation high.
International mediators, including the United States, have repeatedly called on both sides to exercise restraint and adhere to the terms of the ceasefire. Humanitarian agencies have also warned that renewed fighting would further worsen conditions in Gaza, where shortages of food, medical supplies, and basic services remain acute after months of conflict. As both Israel and Hamas maintain sharply different narratives over the killing of Raed Saad, the incident underscores the deep mistrust between the parties. With each side accusing the other of breaching the truce, the latest strike raises fresh questions about the durability of the ceasefire and the prospects for a longer-term de-escalation in the Gaza Strip.