Israeli forces killed the leader of Hamas' military wing on Friday in Gaza City. Al-Haddad was one of the architects of the October 7, 2023 attacks.
10:36 AM
Israeli forces killed Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the commander of Hamas' military wing, in a strike on Gaza City on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces said Saturday.
Al-Haddad was one of the last surviving senior commanders involved in planning and executing the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. The IDF said he had joined Hamas during its early establishment and maintained close ties with Hamas leadership before his death.
According to Israeli officials, al-Haddad was involved in holding Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity and "surrounded himself with hostages to prevent his elimination." The IDF said he recently operated to rehabilitate Hamas' military wing capabilities.
Al-Haddad assumed command of the military wing in May 2025 following the death of his predecessor, Mohammed Sinwar, who was killed in an Israeli strike. A senior Hamas official confirmed al-Haddad's death to the Associated Press on Saturday, referring to him as a "martyr." The official stated that Israel claimed al-Haddad was the only figure refusing to surrender Hamas weapons, though the movement had shown flexibility on the matter.
His wife and 19-year-old daughter were also killed in the strike. A joint funeral for al-Haddad, his wife, and daughter was held Saturday at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Mosque in central Gaza City. Two other sons of al-Haddad had died in the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.
The killing marks the highest-ranking Hamas military commander to be eliminated since the October ceasefire agreement, which was backed by the United States. The ceasefire, declared on October 10, 2025, remains fragile, with key issues including Hamas disarmament slowing progress on the agreement.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported at least 13 deaths and 57 wounded in Israeli strikes over the previous 48 hours. Since the ceasefire began, at least 870 people have been killed in Israeli operations against Gaza, with 2,543 wounded and 771 bodies recovered from rubble. Among recent deaths was a man crushed in the collapse of a previously bombed building; 30 people have now died in structural collapses caused by Israeli strikes.
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