{
  "id": 17632941,
  "title": "IDF avoiding killing certain Hamas officials in Gaza over fear of civil order collapse",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/idf-avoiding-killing-certain-hamas-officials-in-gaza-over-fear-of",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-01T16:24:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-913484"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are refraining from killing certain Hamas officials in Gaza due to concerns over potential civil unrest and the collapse of governance institutions. This decision comes from a deep concern that eliminating these officials could trigger chaos among civilians, making it a responsibility for Israel to address. The policy also takes into account the inability of international aid organizations to fill the power vacuum left by the death of Hamas officials.\n\nWhile the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) continue to target terrorists and commanders within Hamas's military wing, their daily operations include two to three targeted killings. These killings are focused on individuals who took part in the October 7 massacre or are involved in preparing attacks against Israel or rebuilding Hamas's terrorist infrastructure.\n\nThe IDF's enhanced intelligence-gathering capabilities play a significant role in this policy. Over the past year, Military Intelligence Directorate units and the Shin Bet have made substantial progress, including the development of human intelligence sources and leveraging conditions on the ground to gather accurate, real-time intelligence. In contrast, pre-October 7 Israeli intelligence suffered from a shortage of human sources in Gaza and had to rely on mobile phone intelligence.\n\nHamas has retained control over Gaza's civilian administration, managing various sectors such as the economy, internal security, energy, education, healthcare, and local authorities. Even in areas where Hamas's influence seems weaker, officials claim that the terrorist organization manipulates public sentiment through arrests, interrogations, violence, and intimidation. One method Hamas employs to maintain control is coercive tax collection.\n\nDespite these challenges, Hamas continues to exert control over Gaza's civilian institutions. The IDF understands that severely damaging these systems could lead to regional instability and criticism from the international community. As a result, senior civilian officials remain off the target list. Meanwhile, the IDF continues to act decisively against senior figures within Hamas's military wing, employing advanced operational techniques that enable targeted killings even within densely populated areas, minimizing collateral damage and protecting innocent civilians.",
  "summary": "Military sources confirmed to Walla that the decision not to target Hamas municipal officials stems from a concern that killing them could lead to the collapse of governing institutions in Gaza.",
  "key_points": [
    "IDF refrains from killing certain Hamas officials in Gaza to avoid civil unrest.",
    "Targeted killings focus on October 7 massacre participants and attack preparers.",
    "Hamas maintains control over Gaza's civilian administration."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}