Israel: Jenin strike targeted Hamas commander
Shafaq News- Jenin
An Israeli airstrike killed three Palestinians near Jenin in the West Bank on Friday, including Qais Bitawi, whom the Israeli military identified as a Hamas commander accused of directing and financing attacks against Israelis.
The military said Bitawi and two associates were targeted in a vehicle. Hamas condemned the strike but did not identify Bitawi as one of its members, while, according to Reuters, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad described him as a senior operative in its armed wing.
نشاط جيش الدفاع في #جنين 🔹 جاءت العملية بناءً على معلومات استخباراتية دقيقة ضد خلية إرهابية مسلحة شكّلت تهديدًا.🔹 ستعمل قوات الأمن بكل القوة المطلوبة لإزالة أي تهديد على قوات جيش الدفاع ومواطني دولة إسرائيل.🔹 كل محاولة للدفع بمخططات إرهابية ستُقابل برد حازم. وتملك قوات… pic.twitter.com/Bgr2fgBA10
— Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya | إيلا واوية (@CaptainElla1) August 28, 2026
After reaching the strike site, the Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli forces briefly detained one of its crews and prevented the evacuation of those killed or wounded. The Israeli military did not comment.
Jenin and the surrounding northern West Bank have remained a focus of Israeli military operations since Israel launched a major offensive there in January 2025 targeting what Israel described as armed-group strongholds.
