Israeli forces killed Saher Nidal Latfi Sakr in a central Gaza airstrike on September 27, 2026. Sakr was documented on October 7, 2023, driving the motorcycle used to abduct Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or from the Nova music festival, according to a joint military statement.
Targeted Strike in Nuseirat Eliminates October 7 Abduction Participant
The Israel Defense Forces, the Shin Bet security service, and the Israel Police’s Gideonim Unit 33 executed an airstrike in the Nuseirat area of the central Gaza Strip that killed Saher Nidal Latfi Sakr. Military announcements detailed that Sakr was affiliated with global jihadist organizations operating inside the Gaza Strip and supplied weapons to Hamas throughout the ongoing war.
Security agencies confirmed that Sakr had recently advanced attacks against Israeli troops and civilians working alongside operatives from Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Palestinian media reports first noted the strike near the Al-Nouri Tower in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where at least one other person was wounded, before Israeli authorities confirmed his identity and role.
Iconic October 7 Footage and the Fates of the Hostages
Footage of the October 7, 2023, attack showing Argamani being forcibly taken away on a motorcycle while her then-boyfriend, Avinatan Or, was marched off separately circulated worldwide, becoming one of the most recognizable images of the massacre. Argamani spent eight months in captivity before her rescue on June 8, 2024, during Operation Arnon in Nuseirat—a daylight raid that also freed Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv.
Or remained in Gaza for more than two years. He was redeemed after 738 days in captivity on October 13, 2025, as part of an agreement involving the release of Palestinian security prisoners. Argamani had become a prominent advocate for his release prior to their separation in March 2026 after 11 years together.
Broader Security Campaign to Close the Circle on October 7 Perpetrators
The elimination of Sakr aligns with an ongoing, systematic tracking effort by Israeli security forces targeting individuals involved in the 2023 atrocities who remain active in rebuilding Hamas forces. A Southern Command official explained the operational philosophy behind these targeted operations, emphasizing that security agencies maintain persistent watch lists regardless of shifts in overall combat intensity.
Military officials noted that operations are coordinated through a dedicated command center that monitors designated targets using intelligence surveillance.
Simultaneous Operations Against Hamas Command Structure
The announcement regarding Sakr accompanied confirmations of other targeted eliminations across the Gaza Strip. The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed the death of Muhammad Hamad Muhammad Gabain, a Hamas military wing commander killed in northern Gaza on September 22, who was involved in holding nine specific hostages: Ziv Berman, Gali Berman, Eitan Mor, Liri Albag, Agam Berger, Matan Angrest, Omri Miran, Keith Siegel, and Alon Ohel.
