ByJAMES GENN

The IDF on Saturday struck and killed three senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in the central Gaza Strip, the military confirmed on Monday.

The PIJ terrorists were identified as Muhammad Atiya Hassan Abu Afash, Farhat Zuhair Farhat Harara, and Abdallah Allah Riyadh Masoud Qadoum, the military said.

According to the IDF, Afash was head of PIJ's Engineering and Specializations Array. He was responsible for developing the terror group's engineering capabilities as part of this role. The terrorist was also "extensively involved" in terror attacks on IDF soldiers.

Harara served as Afash's deputy in the engineering array, the military noted.

An IDF infographic confirming the death of three senior PIJ terrorists, published June 8, 2026.
An IDF infographic confirming the death of three senior PIJ terrorists, published June 8, 2026. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Qadoum was head of the anti-tank missile array for PIJ within the northern sector of the Gaza Strip, the military said. As part of his role, he "advanced numerous anti-tank attacks" against the IDF over recent years.

PIJ terrorists breaching ceasefire, continuing to plan, advance attacks against IDF, Israel, military says

All three worked to advance attacks against the IDF and Israel, in violation of the ceasefire agreement, the military claimed.

This included rebuilding PIJ's terror capabilities to carry out future attacks, following the group's participation in the October 7, 2023, massacre.