Himoni’s elimination in a Gaza strike last week was described by officials as “an important and moral closing of the circle.”

By The IDF Club

In a joint statement, the Israel Security Agency and the IDF announced the elimination of senior Hamas terrorist Basel Himoni, the mastermind behind the 2004 Beersheba double bus bombing that murdered 16 Israeli civilians and wounded approximately 100 others.

Himoni, a Hebron native and senior terrorist in Hamas’ military wing, played a central role in planning the August 2004 suicide attacks — one of the deadliest atrocities of the Second Intifada.

Captured in October 2004 in a joint Shin Bet–IDF operation, he was tried and sentenced to prison.

In 2011, he was released as part of the Gilad Shalit exchange deal and deported to Gaza, where he quickly resumed terrorist activity.

According to Israeli security officials, he recruited operatives and directed attacks, and during the current war was involved in manufacturing and planting explosive devices targeting Israeli troops.

His elimination in a Gaza strike last week was described by officials as “an important and moral closing of the circle.”

Security forces stressed they “will continue to act against any terrorist who seeks to promote and carry out attacks against IDF forces and the citizens of the State of Israel.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the IDF also confirmed the elimination of Ahmad Hasan, head of the sniper array in Hamas’ Beit Hanoun Battalion.

Hasan was responsible for multiple lethal attacks, including the July 7, 2025 assault in which five soldiers were killed and two seriously wounded.

He was also involved in the April 19, 2025 attack that killed one soldier and seriously injured three others, and a separate April 24 attack in which a reservist was killed and two soldiers were seriously wounded.

The IDF emphasized that Hasan’s elimination followed Hamas’ latest ceasefire violation and reaffirmed that Israeli forces will continue relentlessly pursuing those who target Israeli civilians and soldiers