IDF kills Hamas commander in Rafah, carries out more strikes in response to ambush that wounded 5 IDF soldiers

After the incident in Rafah on Wednesday, in which five IDF soldiers were injured during a confrontation with Hamas fighters, the IDF struck several sites in Gaza, including the tent of a terrorist in al-Muwasi humanitarian zone, weapons depots, and workshops used for the production of weapons. 

The IDF said the strike came in response to “Hamas’ blatant violation of the ceasefire,” and noted that the strike was a joint operation between the military and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). 

Israeli media later reported that the target of the strike was a field commander in Hamas' Rafah Brigade. Prior to the strike, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a discussion with defense officials to discuss the nature of the operation.

⭕️ In response to Hamas’ blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement earlier today, in which 5 soldiers were injured, the IDF & ISA struck a Hamas terrorist in southern Gaza. https://t.co/GIEMpDwVmh

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 3, 2025

According to Channel 12 News, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told Netanyahu, “Under no circumstances can this incident be ignored in silence.” 

“It is inconceivable that terrorists come out of shafts and tunnels where they were imprisoned, and while fleeing to hiding places, they carry out attacks against IDF soldiers in the area," Zamir stressed. 

Initial reports in Arab media said that six people were killed in the strike, including two children. A number of wounded people were evacuated to the Kuwaiti hospital after the attack. 

Footage shows a fire breaking out in the tent area of Al-Mawasi, Khan Yunis, after the attack.

Authorities in Gaza report that the number of fatalities has reportedly increased to 6 https://t.co/KkhMW4r21J pic.twitter.com/xEpPUyQhod

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) December 3, 2025

In a statement, the military said, "IDF troops in the Southern Command remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat.” 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that Israel “will not tolerate the harming of IDF soldiers.” 

“The Hamas terrorist organization continues to violate the ceasefire agreement and carry out acts of terrorism against our forces,” Netanyahu said. “Our policy is clear: Israel will not tolerate the harming of IDF soldiers and will respond accordingly.” 

Walla News reported that while three of the four terrorists who carried out the attack on the IDF soldiers were killed, the fourth is believed to have escaped. A senior IDF field commander told the news organization that the enormous scale of destruction and ruins complicates the situation for the soldiers. 

“In a regular building there are windows, entrances, doorways, rooms, and roofs, and in a destroyed building it is not clear where a terrorist can get out. It can happen from any space. From every direction,” the commander said. 

Meanwhile, Kan News reported that despite claims by Hamas leadership that the terrorists trapped in the Rafah tunnels are cut off from communication, a Palestinian source said the terror cells are still in contact with Hamas’ military wing. 

The source claimed that the terrorists are in communication with the Khan Younis brigade, through which they are able to receive orders. 

The attack in Rafah comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly been placing increasing pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu to demonstrate greater flexibility in Gaza. 

The president appeared to downplay the attack, telling reporters in the White House on Wednesday that there was “a problem today with a bomb that went off.” 

“They had a problem today with a bomb that went off — hurt some people pretty badly, probably killed some people,” Trump said, referring to the Hamas attack on the IDF troops. “But it’s going very well. We have peace in the Middle East. People don’t realize it.” 

Trump also claimed that “Phase two is moving along. It’s going to happen pretty soon.” 

On Thursday morning, following reports that Israel and Egypt had reached an agreement to allow the opening of the Rafah crossing to a group of Palestinians leaving the Gaza Strip and transiting through Egypt, an Egyptian source told Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed (The New Arab), that “Egypt views with concern the Israeli government's decision to open the Rafah crossing in the coming days for the exit of residents of the Gaza Strip only, because such a step constitutes a clear and explicit violation of the agreement.” 

The official claimed that Egypt’s concern is that the opening of the Rafah crossing to Palestinians exiting the Strip could lead to “the gradual displacement of Palestinians without any guarantees of their return to the Gaza Strip.” 

Overnight, the Prime Minister's Office announced that Israel had received, through the Red Cross, a coffin containing the remains of a deceased hostage. In a statement released by the government, the remains were identified as Thai agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak, who was killed on Oct. 7, and his body abducted to Gaza. 

According to the government, “a total of 39 Thai nationals were murdered and 31 Thai nationals were taken captive on that horrific day.” 

Rinthalak’s remains will be transferred to Thailand for burial by his family.