From IDF confirms it killed Hamas operative who previously held hostages in the Gaza City area
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleStav Levaton is a military reporter for The Times of Israel
This infographic released by the IDF on September 2, 2025, shows Hamas terror operative Hazem Awni Naeem, whom the military says was killed in an airstrike in northern Gaza. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF and Shin Bet say in a joint statement that they eliminated senior Hamas operative Hazem Awni Naeem in the Gaza City area last week.
According to the military, Naeem had held Israeli hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Naama Levy in captivity prior to their release as part of a ceasefire deal.
The IDF says Naeem also served in multiple roles within Hamas’s Gaza City brigade, most recently as a senior figure in the brigade’s military intelligence, being described as a close associate of its commander, Izz al-Din Haddad.
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