Conflict & Security
Israeli military strikes Hamas naval commander in Gaza, closes Al-Aqsa Mosque and arrests dozens in West Bank
July 14, 2026 at 09:55 AM
Coverage
3 reports · over 5 hours
Israeli forces killed four Hamas members including a naval unit commander in Gaza and escalated operations in the West Bank, closing the Al‑Aqsa Mosque and detaining dozens.
- The Israeli army announced it killed Osama Naim Hamdi, commander of Hamas’s naval unit, in a Monday airstrike in Gaza City.
- In a separate airstrike in northern Gaza, the Israeli army said it killed three armed Hamas members who posed a threat to its forces.
- Israeli forces closed the gates of the Al‑Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday, citing military exercises, and set up checkpoints in Bethlehem, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
- The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli forces detained and questioned dozens of Palestinians during raids in the southern Hebron area.

