GAZA STRIP — The IDF killed Taher Ahmad Salem Abd al-Wahed in a strike on Friday, July 17, 2026. The operation targeted the individual linked to events beginning on October 7, 2023.

Ahmad Abd al-Wahed was a PIJ terrorist who infiltrated the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. He commanded the abduction of Inbar Hayman's remains after she was killed during the attack.

Hayman was 27 years old when her death was confirmed to her family by Israeli authorities in December 2023. Her body was held in Gaza for over two years before its release in July 2026.

Hayman served as a commander in the IDF’s Caracal Battalion. The IDF confirmed Hayman served as a commander in the Battalion following the release of her body.

Hayman was known through her graffiti art as “Pink” and “Raven.” The slogan “Free Pink” was used as a call for Hayman's release following the October 7 massacre. She attended the Nova festival as a helper supporting dancers who were feeling unwell.

Hayman was the only woman left in Hamas captivity for most of the war’s duration following the release of almost all female hostages in November 2023. Nineteen fellow hostages remain in captivity.

Hayman's family released a statement through the Hostages and Missing Families Forum upon the release of her body. "Our beloved Inbar has come home, to her parents, to her brother, and to us," the family said. "This is a feeling that cannot be described, joy mingled with profound sadness." The statement added, "Now, Inbar will receive the rest and honor she so profoundly deserves." The family wrote, "We are sure that if Inbar were here with us today, she would have urged us to continue fighting for all 19 of her fellow hostages who remain in captivity." The Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated, "Our Inbar, the salt of the earth, served as a commander in the Caracal Battalion for three years." The forum added, "We salute you and invite the entire public to join us in honoring you, a hero of Israel."

The death of Ahmad Abd al-Wahed marks the conclusion of a specific chain of events tied to the Nova music festival attack. His role in the abduction of remains extended the timeline of the conflict beyond the initial violence. The release of Hayman's body after more than two years addresses a long-standing case of captivity. The confirmation of her military service provides official context to her personal history and public identity during the war.