Nukhba Force ("elite") is a special forces unit of Hamas' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, specializing in naval commando operations. al-Nukhba was formed in 2010 in the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead and was tasked with smuggling weapons into Gaza by sea. These units sustained losses in Israel's 2014 Operation Protective Edge, and, over the next few years, they were trained and equipped in Iran. In 2017, some of its members left to join ISIL in the Sinai Peninsula during the Sinai insurgency. Nukhba members began their land and sea-based training at the young ages of 18 to 20, and were mostly recruited from fishermen and paid up to $500 a month, over five times the average salary in the Gaza Strip. Nukhba Force led Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 7 October 2023 at the beginning of the Sukkot War, killing more than 1,3000 men, women, and children. IDF warplanes retaliated by targeting Nukhba Force, killing company commander Ali Qadi on 14 October and Billal Al Kedra a day later.