Hamas’s Northern Brigade chief, killed this week, held numerous hostages in captivity during war – IDF

The commander of Hamas’s Northern Gaza Brigade, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City earlier this week, had been responsible for holding numerous hostages in captivity, the military says.

The IDF says that “following extensive intelligence research,” it can reveal that Izz al-Din al-Bik, who was killed on Tuesday, “commanded the captivity of Israeli hostages during the war.”

The hostages under Bik’s responsibility included Mia Schem, Hisham al-Sayed, Amit Buskila, Uriel Baruch, Corporal Nik Beizer, Sergeant Ron Sherman, Elia Toledano, Shani Louk, Michel Nisenbaum, Staff Sergeant Tamir Nimrodi, Yitzhak Gelerenter, Eitan Levy, Hanan Yablonka, Ron Benjamin, and Orion Hernandez.

Bik had been in the role since the previous Northern Gaza Brigade commander, Ahmed Ghandour, was killed by Israel on November 10, 2023, according to the military and Hamas.

Before that, he held other top roles, including chief of intelligence in the Northern Gaza Brigade and commander of the Western Jabalia Battalion.

“In these roles, he advanced and financed numerous attacks against Israeli civilians and was among the founders of Hamas’s Nukhba forces in northern Gaza,” the military says.

In addition, Bik “commanded and participated in the infiltration into Israeli territory” during the October 7, 2023, onslaught, according to the IDF.