Date: May 16, 2026 l By Jan Porch
Israel has confirmed the killing of senior Hamas military commander Ezzedine Al-Haddad during an airstrike in Gaza City, marking one of the most significant assassinations of a Hamas leader since the start of the war in Gaza.
The Israeli military and Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency announced Saturday that Haddad was killed in what officials described as a “precise strike” carried out in Gaza the previous day. Israel accused Haddad of being one of the key architects behind the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
“The IDF and the ISA announce that yesterday, in a precise strike in the area of the City of Gaza, the terrorist Ezzedine Al-Haddad was eliminated,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
Two Hamas officials also confirmed Haddad’s death to AFP and Reuters, although Hamas had not yet issued a formal public statement at the time of reporting. Witnesses in Gaza said mosques in Gaza City announced his “martyrdom” shortly after the strike.
According to Hamas sources, Haddad was killed alongside members of his family, including his wife and one of his daughters, after an Israeli strike reportedly targeted a residential apartment and a civilian vehicle in Gaza City.
Israeli officials described Haddad as one of the last remaining senior commanders of Hamas’s armed wing still operating inside Gaza. The military accused him of helping oversee hostage operations and directing military activities throughout the war.
Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir described the operation as a “significant operational achievement,” claiming that former Israeli hostages frequently mentioned Haddad’s name during debriefings after their release.
The killing continues Israel’s long-running campaign targeting Hamas leadership since the October 7 attack that killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. Israeli forces have previously announced the deaths of several major Hamas figures, including Yahya Sinwar and longtime military commander Mohammed Deif.
The conflict has devastated Gaza, where local health authorities say more than 72,000 people have been killed since the war began. The humanitarian crisis has drawn increasing international concern amid widespread destruction, displacement and shortages of food, medicine and fuel.
The announcement also comes amid wider regional instability across the Middle East. Recent months have seen escalating tensions involving Iran, Gulf states, Israel and the United States, with several countries reportedly expanding military coordination and intelligence cooperation in response to the regional conflict.
Analysts say the death of Haddad could further weaken Hamas’s command structure inside Gaza, though experts caution that the group has repeatedly adapted after losing senior leaders during the conflict. At the same time, observers warn that targeted killings may intensify tensions and complicate already fragile ceasefire negotiations tied to hostage releases and humanitarian access.