Muhammad Shabana
Muhammad Shabana | |
|---|---|
محمد شبانة | |
| Commander of the Rafah Brigade | |
| In office 21 August 2014 – 13 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Raed al-Atar |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 13 May 2025 Gaza European Hospital, Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip |
| Manner of death | Assassination by airstrike |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Hamas |
| Branch/service | al-Qassam Brigades |
| Rank | Commander |
| Battles/wars | |
Muhammad Shabaneh (Arabic: محمد شبانة), also known by his nickname Abu Anas (Arabic: أبو أنس), was the commander of the Rafah Brigade in the military wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Under his command were about four battalions.[1][2]
It was reported that Shabaneh had a large extended family in Sinai, Egypt. In leaflets dropped by the IDF in Gaza in November 2023, a bounty of $500,000 was offered for his capture.[3]
In May 2025, the IDF and Shin Bet claimed that de facto leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip Mohammed Sinwar was targeted in an Israeli airstrike on a bunker under the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Yunis. The strike killed 26 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.[4][5][6] According to the Saudi channel Al-Hadath, Shabaneh's body was recovered from the tunnel along with Sinwar.[7]
Biography
Hamas
Even before his appointment as commander of the Rafah Brigade, during Operation Cast Lead on December 31, 2008, according to Palestinian reports, the IDF attacked his home in the Shabora neighborhood in Rafah, but Shabaneh was not injured.[8]
After the death of Raed al-Attar during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, Shabaneh was appointed to replace him as the commander of the Rafah Brigade.[9] During Operation Guardian of the Walls, on May 13, 2021, the IDF bombed his home in Rafah, but Shabaneh was not harmed.[10]
During the Gaza War
In the first two days following Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, two of Shabaneh's sons, Abd al-Nasser and Mahmoud, who were members of the Nukhba Force of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, were killed.[11]
According to Palestinian reports, on December 20, 2023, the IDF attempted to kill him by attacking the Shabaneh family home in eastern Rafah, but Mohammad Shabaneh survived unharmed.
His eldest son, Anas, was also killed on May 18, 2024, in battles with the IDF in the Al-Tannur neighborhood of Rafah.[12]
On May 24, 2024, another assassination attempt was made when a tunnel containing an underground complex where he was believed to be hiding was attacked, but Shabaneh survived.[1][13]
Assassination
On May 13, 2025, reports emerged that Shabaneh was killed alongside the de facto leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Mohammed Sinwar, in an Israeli airstrike on a bunker under the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Yunis.[7]
On May 31, 2025, the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed that Shabaneh had been killed in the airstrike.[14][15]
References
- ^ a b "إعلام إسرائيلي: الجيش يخفق في اغتيال قائد لواء رفح محمد شبانة". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ "Postman helped IDF assassinate Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, Arab report claims". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ "x.com".
- ^ "Israel's latest attacks on Gaza hospitals killed at least 28 people". Al Jazeera. 13 May 2025.
- ^ Ravid, Barak (2025-05-13). "Israel targets top Hamas commander in strike on hospital bunker". Axios. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ^ "IDF and Shin Bet carry out strike in southern Gaza, target Hamas leader Mohamad Sinwar, brother of Yahya Sinwar". Haaretz. 13 May 2025.
- ^ a b Yohanan, Nurit; Fabian, Emanuel. "Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar's body said found in Gaza tunnel hit by IDF last week". The Times of Israel. ToI Staff. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
- ^ "מבצע "עופרת יצוקה" – עדכון מס' 5". מרכז המידע למודיעין ולטרור על שם אלוף מאיר עמית (in Hebrew). 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ לוי, אליאור (2016-07-10). "פחות רקטות, יותר מנהרות: חמאס מתכונן לצוק איתן 2". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ "x.com".
- ^ "בניו מחבלי נוח'בה שנהרגו, הוא ניצל מניסיונות חיסול: זה מח"ט רפיח שהיה היעד לתקיפות בעיר". www.israelhayom.co.il. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ "דיווחים בעזה על חיסולו של אנס שבאנה, בנו של מפקד חטיבת רפיח בחמאס, מוחמד שבאנה".
- ^ יהושוע, יוסי; זיתון, יואב; חלבי, עינב (2024-05-24). "דיווח: ניסיון לחסל את מח"ט חמאס ברפיח - דקות לאחר הפסיקה בהאג". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (May 31, 2025). "IDF, Shin Bet confirm Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar killed in May 13 strike on tunnel under south Gaza hospital". The Times of Israel. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
- ^ "Israeli military says it killed Hamas military leader Mohammed Sinwar on May 13". Reuters. May 31, 2025. Retrieved May 31, 2025.