Israeli soldiers ‘dressed as women’ kill senior Gaza militant Ahmad Sarhan

Israeli special operations forces disguised as civilians and under heavy air cover kill a senior militant and arrest his wife and children.

A wagon reportedly used by Israeli troops in a special forces operation in southern Gaza's Khan Younis (left) and Ahmad Sarhan, a senior member of the Popular Resistance Committees who was killed in the operation.

Israeli military forces disguised as civilians and under heavy air cover have killed a senior militant in Gaza and arrested his wife and children.

The military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, a small terrorist organisation linked with Hamas, comfirmed the dead man was Ahmad Sarhan, who is reported to be a senior commander in the PRC.

The reason he was targeted was not immediately known, but Arab media reported the operation, which took place in the city of Khan Younis, was an attempt to rescue Israeli hostages.

The Israeli Defence Forces denied the claim in a statement that appeared to be an attempt to suggest the operation had never taken place.

“The IDF is in the midst of Operation Gideon’s Chariots and is operating in all areas of the Gaza Strip,” the military said, referring to its intensified offensive launched late last week.

“Following the reports, there is no change to the situational assessment,” the statement added.

عاجل| مصادر محلية: قوة خاصة اسرائيلية تسللت بلباس مدني إلى موقع وسط خانيونس واغتالت شخصا واعتقلت زوجته وأطفاله..

صورة لحقيبة مموهة تركتها القوات الخاصة كانت تحتوي على أسلحة مموهة بأغراض نزوح pic.twitter.com/RpYbvgimxs

— فلسطين بوست (@PalpostN) May 19, 2025

Local residents said some of the Israeli forces were dressed as women, and carried what appeared to be luggage and blankets on the top of a white civilian vehicle.

Palestinian media published images they claimed were of a wagon left behind by the Israeli forces. The wagon in the pictures is of the kind often used by displaced Gazans to move their belongings, according to Israeli media. Inside there appears to be a secret hollow section where local media reports Israeli troops or equipment may have been hidden, or which possibly could be used to hold suspects.

The PRC said Sarhan was responsible for the group’s “special operations.” It claimed that Israeli commandos killed the militant after failing in an attempt to arrest him.

Local residents said the surrounding area was pounded by Israeli strikes during the operation.

“We thought that all houses would be bombed,” said Mohammed Sarhan, a relative of the dead militant and a neighbour, who said the strikes lasted 10 minutes.

The operation came as the first few aid trucks entered Gaza on Monday following nearly three months of Israel’s blockade of food, medicine and other supplies

Australia has joined 22 mostly European nations to demand Israel allow the full resumption of aid in Gaza, warning Palestinians there are starving, exhausted and being deprived of essential supplies.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong joined with counterparts from a raft of EU nations, the UK, Canada and New Zealand to condemn Israel’s halt to aid delivery in the war-torn territory and reject its plan to take over humanitarian support for the enclave’s 2.1 million people.

The move came after Israel allowed just five trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza following an 11-week blockade.

“Whilst we acknowledge indications of a limited restart of aid, Israel blocked humanitarian aid entering Gaza for over two months,” they said.

“Food, medicines and essential supplies are exhausted. The population faces starvation. Gaza’s people must receive the aid they desperately need.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said food deliveries would continue only until the Israeli military and private companies had set up hubs inside the territory to distribute aid under a US-backed plan that has been rejected by the UN.

The 23-nation statement, which was placed on the Department of Foreign Affairs’ website without fanfare, said only the UN and humanitarian NGOs, “operating independently, with neutrality, impartiality and humanity”, were equipped to deliver assistance to Gaza.

“(The model) places beneficiaries and aid workers at risk, undermines the role and independence of the UN and our trusted partners, and links humanitarian aid to political and military objectives,” it said.

The foreign ministers said aid should not be “politicised”, and warned against an Israeli push to depopulate Gaza and seize parts of the territory.

“As humanitarian donors, we have two straightforward messages for the Government of Israel: allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza immediately and enable the UN and humanitarian organisations to work independently and impartially to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity,” they said.

“We remain committed to meeting the acute needs we see in Gaza. We also reiterate our firm message that Hamas must immediately release all remaining hostages and allow humanitarian assistance to be distributed without interference.

“It is our firm conviction that an immediate return to a ceasefire and working towards the implementation of a two-state solution are the only way to bring peace and security to Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long-term stability for the whole region.”

In a video statement, Mr Netanyahu said he had blocked aid deliveries via the UN and other organisations because it was being seized by Hamas, and he was now pursuing a “different method” involving a US-backed non-governmental organisation, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

The foundation would deliver aid from hubs protected by security contractors and the Israel Defence Forces.

Additional reporting: Ben Packham