Israel has revealed that a senior financial operative in Hamas’s military wing was killed in a targeted strike in Gaza. According to the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Col. Avichay Adraee, Abdel Hay Zaqout, a member of the finance department of Hamas’s Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, was killed two weeks ago in the same strike that eliminated senior Hamas commander Ra’ad Sa’ad. Adraee disclosed the information Wednesday in a post on X.

Zaqout, a resident of Gaza City, was described as a key financial enabler of Hamas’s military operations. Israeli officials said he was responsible for recruiting and transferring tens of millions of dollars to the Qassam Brigades, funds that were used to finance terror attacks and weapons development aimed at Israel.

The strike was carried out as part of a joint IDF and Shin Bet operation.

“The IDF and the Shin Bet will continue their efforts to disrupt the financing of terrorism and will act against all those involved in terrorism or in providing assistance to plan and carry out terrorist attacks against the State of Israel,” Adraee said.

The killing of Zaqout was revealed only after the IDF publicly confirmed the death of Ra’ad Sa’ad, one of the most senior figures in the Qassam Brigades. Sa’ad was killed when his vehicle was struck in a targeted attack two weeks ago.

According to the IDF, Sa’ad had recently been involved in efforts to rebuild Hamas’s weapons capabilities, including attempts to restore production lines damaged during Israeli operations. The strike on Sa’ad was launched in response to a recent Hamas attack on Israeli troops inside the Gaza Strip, in which an improvised explosive device was detonated.

Two IDF soldiers were lightly wounded in that attack and were evacuated to a hospital for treatment.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)