Hamas says its longtime spokesman was killed following an Israeli strike in August

BEIRUT (AP) — Hamas on Monday confirmed that its longtime spokesman was killed following an Israeli strike in August in war-torn Gaza, the first time the Palestinian militant group publicly acknowledged the death of one of its more prominent figures.

The confirmation comes months after Israel said on Aug. 31 that its forces had killed the militant group's spokesman Hudhayfa al‑Kahlout, nicknamed “Abu Obeida,” in an airstrike on Gaza. Hamas didn't say how he was killed or when.

The announcement came as U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are to meet in Florida on Monday as Washington seeks fresh momentum for the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza, which could be in danger of stalling ahead of a complicated, second phase.

Abu Obeida had been among the most recognizable figures of Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, since the group seized control of Gaza in 2007 from the the rival Palestinian group Fatah. He often delivered statements while masked, especially during major escalations, setting the tone for Hamas' threatening messaging and posture toward Israel.

His visibility made him a familiar figure among Palestinians and across the region for nearly two decades. The Israeli military said he was key in Hamas' media and propaganda apparatus, saying the strike that killed him built on Israeli intelligence about his whereabouts.

Hamas released a new video on the Telegram messaging channel Monday featuring the group's new spokesman, who said he was the new Abu Obeida and that he had inherited the nickname. The man, wearing a mask like his predecessor, did not give his actual name.

But he indicated Hamas' refusal to disarm — in violation of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal in place since October.

“Our people are defending themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation remains,” the spokesman said.

The Israel‑Hamas war started after a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which the militants killed an estimated 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted around 250 hostages.

Since the ceasefire started on Oct. 10, Gaza's Health Ministry says that 414 people have been killed and 1,142 have been wounded in the coastal enclave. The overall Palestinian death toll from the war is at least 71,266.

The ministry, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its count, is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community.