Israel still checking: the emerging reason for the failure to eliminate the Hamas leader in Gaza

Israel has not yet determined the fate of Hamas leader in Gaza, Ali al-Ammudi, following an assassination attempt over the weekend. The Air Force struck an apartment building where he was hiding, but a relatively small warhead may have allowed him to escape. Security officials do not know if he was wounded or killed.

Israel has not yet determined the fate of Hamas leader in Gaza, Ali al-Ammudi, following an assassination attempt carried out over the past weekend. Security and military officials cannot confirm whether he was killed, wounded, or the extent of his injuries. Ali al-Ammudi has been high on Israel's target list in Gaza for a long time. Over the weekend, based on precise intelligence from the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence, approval was received from the political echelon to eliminate him. Air Force fighter jets struck a multi-story apartment building where he was hiding, launching several precision missiles with a small warhead into the apartment on the first floor, aiming to avoid collateral damage. However, the assessment in Israel is growing that al-Ammudi survived because the relatively small warhead allowed him to escape. Al-Ammudi is considered a senior Hamas figure in Gaza, designated as a successor to Yahya Sinwar, and was one of the architects of the October 7 massacre. He was part of the narrow decision-making circle around the Sinwar brothers and Mohammed Deif. He does not hold an official title as the organization's leader in Gaza, but has announced he will run in internal elections, and according to sentiments in Hamas and on the Gaza street, he is currently the leading figure.