GAZA, (PIC)
“The keys to Jerusalem will be handed over to one of you.” These were the words of Mohammed Shahin, a commander in the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, as he assured his fellow fighters of the coming victory and the liberation of Jerusalem. However, before he could witness this moment, he was assassinated by the treacherous hand of the Zionist occupation, attaining one of the two ultimate honors he longed for—martyrdom in the path of Allah.
In a widely circulated statement, the martyred commander reaffirmed his firm belief that victory and the reclaiming of Jerusalem’s keys were inevitable realities: “And that is not difficult for Allah.” These words encapsulate the path resistance has carved for itself in its unwavering struggle to free Al-Aqsa Mosque from occupation.
A leading role and a mark on the path of Jihad
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, and its armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, mourned the loss of their commander, Mohammed Ibrahim Shahin (Abu Al-Bara), who was assassinated by an Israeli drone strike in the city of Sidon, southern Lebanon, on Monday.
In a statement, the Al-Qassam Brigades commemorated their fallen hero, recalling his pioneering role and significant contributions to the resistance, starting from the Al-Aqsa Intifada to the recent Al-Aqsa Flood Battle. His family is originally from the 1948 occupied Palestinian town of Al-Faluja.
Shahin held several senior military positions throughout his life. His journey of resistance ended as he joined his martyred brother, Hamas engineer Hamza Shahin, along with many of his fellow pure martyrs who preceded him.
His role in Hamas and Israeli accusations
Mohammed Shahin was a senior military official of Hamas in Lebanon, responsible for directing operations in the West Bank, according to Israeli media reports. He was known to have been close to Saleh Al-Arouri, Hamas’s deputy political chief since 2017, who was assassinated by Israel in early 2024.
Israeli media also claimed that Shahin was responsible for coordinating with Hezbollah and was involved in planning resistance operations in the West Bank alongside Al-Arouri and Zaki Shahin.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Shahin headed the Hamas Operations Unit in Lebanon, which allegedly planned attacks against Israeli targets abroad.
Born in Baqa’a refugee camp, Jordan, to a Palestinian family from Gaza, he held Jordanian nationality. According to the Jerusalem News Network, his brother Hamza was assassinated years earlier in an explosion targeting the Burj Al-Shamali Camp in southern Lebanon.
The assassination
Mohammed Shahin was assassinated by an Israeli drone strike on Monday, February 17, 2025, in the city of Sidon, southern Lebanon. His assassination came just one day before the deadline for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon on February 18.
Israel’s public broadcaster reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left his trial for 20 minutes to approve the assassination operation. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office later stated that Netanyahu interrupted his testimony in court to hold an urgent security consultation with Army Minister Yisrael Katz.
Resistance will not be broken
In response, Hamas declared that the “treacherous Zionist hand” that reached Palestinian leaders in exile, just as it had inside occupied Palestine, would fail to break the spirit of the resistance.
Hamas emphasized that Shahin and his family had been a model of sacrifice and devotion, dedicating their lives to the cause of resistance and strengthening its power in preparation for confronting the occupation until the land and holy sites are liberated.
The Movement also warned that Israel bears full responsibility for the consequences of its cowardly assassinations and will “pay a heavy price” for its crimes.
Tributes and legacy
Social media activists mourned Mohammed Shahin, praising his heroic contributions to the struggle for Jerusalem’s liberation and his sacrifices—following in the footsteps of his martyred brother, commander Hamza Shahin.
“They fought so that others could live and achieve victory. The thought of reaping the fruits of their struggle never crossed their minds. Their sole concern was to stand guard and fulfill their duty.” These words best describe the martyred commander.
