Israeli Military Says It Captured Hamas Internal Security Chief

Israel captured the head of Hamas’s internal security apparatus in a targeted operation in Gaza City on Tuesday, with authorities describing the raid as part of a broader effort to weaken the terrorist group’s command structure.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that special forces from the Shin Bet intelligence agency captured him in a joint operation with the military. He was taken to Israel for questioning, the Israeli military said, adding it would continue operations against Hamas in the area to prevent attacks on troops and civilians.

The Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza confirmed that one of its members, Moin Al-Arabeed, had been captured during the raid. The ministry said in a Sept. 1 statement that Al-Arabeed was wounded before being detained by Israeli forces.

It also said his wife was killed and several of his children were injured during the operation. The ministry did not identify his position within Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Shin Bet and the IDF for their actions.

“He is one of Hamas’ most senior leaders and was responsible for concealing and moving our hostages, hiding senior Hamas officials, building up the organization’s forces, and efforts to restore the terrorist organization’s capabilities,” Netanyahu said in a Sept. 1 post on X.

Netanyahu added that the detainee had recently been involved in efforts to restore Hamas’s governance in Gaza, accusing him of deceiving negotiators regarding the territory’s demilitarization and assisting attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.

“My directive is clear: The State of Israel will continue to pursue all Hamas leaders and everyone who took part in the October 7 massacre,” Netanyahu said.

Hamas Commander Killed: IDF

The Israeli military said in a Sept. 2 post on Telegram that it killed Talal Mustafa Saleh Badawi, whom it identified as a commander in Hamas’s Military Security Department within the Gaza City Brigade.

The IDF said Badawi and another Hamas member, Momo Saeed Mohammed Hawari, were killed in an airstrike after they recently advanced attacks against Israeli troops and civilians and worked to rebuild Hamas’s military capabilities, which Israel described as a violation of the October 2025 ceasefire.

It added that Israeli forces under the Southern Command remained deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and would continue operating against perceived threats.

Hamas did not immediately comment publicly on the Israeli account of the strike or on the identities of those killed.

Israel has repeatedly said dismantling Hamas’s leadership and military infrastructure remains one of its primary objectives in Gaza.

Israeli troops control more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip, while most of Gaza’s population lives in a narrow coastal area where Hamas continues to govern.

Under a U.S.-backed proposal promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump, Hamas would transfer civilian governing responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a body composed of Palestinian technocrats.

The proposal also envisions the Palestinian Authority preparing conditions for what it describes as “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” after implementing political reforms.

The plan calls for Gaza to be demilitarized, describes the territory as becoming terror-free, and says humanitarian assistance would fully resume after hostilities end.

The war began after Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, according to Israeli authorities. The attackers also seized more than 250 hostages, triggering Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

According to the latest casualty figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, 1,334 people have been killed and 4,429 injured since the Oct. 11, 2025, ceasefire took effect. The ministry said on Sept. 2 that the overall death toll in Gaza since the war began had reached 73,470 people, while 174,540 had been injured.

The figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants and have not been independently verified.

Israel says 968 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023.

Reuters contributed to this report.