Qassam targeted Israeli Chief of Staff

The Qassam Brigades targeted Israeli Chief of Staff Benny Gantz when he was in Nahal Oz military base last Friday, a field commander said.

Speaking to the Qassam website, Abu-Khalil said that the mortar unit received detailed intelligence information saying that a senior military leader was to visit that military base in the morning.

Abu-Khalil said that the intelligence section expected that the military leader might have been Gantz accompanied with other senior commanders.

“Immediately, the fighters of the mortar unit targeted the convoy, which fell under the fire of Qassam mortar and short-range rockets,” Abu-Khalil said. “After the attack, our fighters monitored the situation and observed confusion among the military staff there. We expect that the senior leader was wounded.”

The following day, the Israeli government lifted a gag order on news of the attack. The Israeli media announced that Nahal Oz was targeted during Gantz’s visit.

A statement for the Qassam Brigades said that this was not the first time a senior Israeli military commander was targeted. The statement mentioned the targeting of Sami Terugman, the commander of the southern district in the Israeli army, who sought shelter in a fortified room under Qassam fire.

The statement also said that a top commander of the Israeli elite unit, Golani, was wounded in another targeted attack by the Qassam fighters.