Top Hamas Commander Who Survived Two Assassination Attempts Killed in Israeli Airstrike

A top Hamas commander who is believed to have survived two previous assassination attempts and was a close confidant of the terrorist group's supreme commander has been reportedly killed by an Israeli air strike.

Abu Anas al-Ghandour, also known as Ahmed Ghandour, was killed in strikes by Israel Defense Forces, according to Israeli newspaper, Maariv, which cited various reports on Tuesday.

Almot Booker, a reporter for Israel's Channel 13, also cited reports of Ghandour's death, writing in a post on X that the commander was considered one of the terror group's "aces" who was behind numerous attacks on Israelis over the years.

The IDF had not confirmed Ghandour's death as of Tuesday, Maariv reported.

According to a profile listed by the Counter Extremism Project, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit international organization, Ghandour was the commander for the northern branch of Hamas' military wing and a "close confidant" of the terror group's supreme commander, Mohammed Deif.

Ghandour also oversaw the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006.

Shalit's capture prompted heavy Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and ultimately the release of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for his release.

Ghandour is also believed to have survived two assassination attempts allegedly carried out by Israeli forces in 2002 and 2012, according to the Counter Extremism Project.

In 2017, Ghandour was designated by the U.S. State Department as a global terrorist for his position in Hamas.

Reports of the airstrike emerged as the IDF confirmed it has killed other Hamas leaders and operatives in recent days, including a battalion commander who oversaw the Khan Yunis Bridge's anti-tank system and a second commander accused of holding some 1,000 Palestinian civilians hostage inside a Gaza hospital.

On Monday,  Israel also claimed its troops had killed 21 Hamas operatives who fired on Israeli soldiers from Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City, the strip's second-largest hospital.

The develops also arrived as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas forces have "lost control" of the Gaza Strip amid IDF's attacks in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 assault on Israel left some 1,200 dead.

IDF soldiers have been photographed waving flags inside Hamas' seat of power as their ground campaign sweeps across northern Gaza.

“There is no force of Hamas capable of stopping the [Israel Defense Forces]," Gallant said, according to the Times of Israel. "The IDF is advancing to every point. The Hamas organization has lost control of Gaza. Terrorists are fleeing south. Civilians are looting Hamas bases. They have no confidence in the government."

The Hamas-run Health Ministry has reported more than 11,000 deaths in Gaza amidst Israeli attacks over the past month.