IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari reported Thursday that senior Hamas official Ra’ad Thabat, head of Hamas' supply unit, was killed at the Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. According to the military, Thabat served as the head of Hamas' supply chain and was responsible for research and development. The report added he was directly associated with other Hamas leaders including Marwan Issa, Mohammed Deif, and Yahya Sinwar.
According to Hagari, Thabat, who was "a focal point of the organization's knowledge on equipment and firepower," was killed while attempting to escape from IDF soldiers along with two other terrorists into the hospital. He added that in another incident, three terrorists were killed in the Al Shifa Hospital’s maternity ward in clashes with IDF soldiers, and their identities are currently being verified. "We’ll reach more senior figures," he said.
"The IDF and Shin Bet’s determination to continue operating in the hospital based on precise military intelligence is further evidence of its effectiveness. We reached senior Hamas figures and will reach additional ones," Hagari said, adding that 900 suspects were investigated at Al Shifa, with 513 identified as terrorists hiding in the hospital.
"We estimate that we will find more senior figures among the suspects," he added. "Hamas is destroying the hospital, fighting within its departments, and blowing off explosives. The hospital is severely affected by Hamas's actions."
He also mentioned that a Hamas terrorist who was questioned in the hospital on Wednesday directed forces to an area where long-range missiles were located. "The forces located and destroyed the missiles," he said.
Hagari added that a "highly complex" 2.5 kilometers tunnel crossing from the southern Gaza Strip to its north was located by forces, containing over 30 tons of explosives. It was later eliminated. Talking about the fighting in the al-Amal neighborhood in southern Gaza, he added: "So far, we’ve arrested dozens of terrorists and found tunnel shafts based on military intelligence, in which large quantities of explosives were located."