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Date: May 16, 2026 l By Jan Porch
Israel says it has killed Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the head of Hamas’s military wing and one of the last surviving senior commanders linked to the October 7, 2023 attacks that triggered the Gaza war.
The Israeli military confirmed Saturday that Haddad was killed in a targeted airstrike carried out in Gaza City on Friday. Israeli officials described him as one of Hamas’s most senior operational leaders and accused him of playing a central role in planning and directing the October 7 assault on southern Israel.
Hamas later confirmed Haddad’s death through spokesperson Hazem Qassem, ending speculation that had followed the strike in the densely populated Rimal district of Gaza City.
According to Israeli authorities, Haddad had become the leader of Hamas’s military wing after the earlier deaths of Mohammed Sinwar and other senior commanders during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Israeli officials described him as one of the final remaining top-level military figures within Hamas still operating inside the territory.
Reuters reported that Haddad, often nicknamed “the Ghost,” had survived multiple previous assassination attempts by Israeli forces before the latest strike. He was reportedly killed alongside members of his family, including his wife and daughter.
Footage and images emerging from Gaza showed flames engulfing vehicles and significant destruction around the strike site as emergency crews and residents searched through debris. Funeral prayers for Haddad were later held in Gaza City, where mourners carried his body wrapped in Hamas and Palestinian flags.
The assassination comes during a fragile US-brokered ceasefire that has faced repeated violations and mounting tensions. Although large-scale fighting slowed after the ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025, Israeli airstrikes and clashes with militants have continued almost daily.
According to Gaza health authorities, more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, while Israel says approximately 1,200 people were killed during the October 7 Hamas-led attacks and more than 250 hostages were taken into Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz described Haddad as a key architect of the October 7 operation and vowed that Israel would continue targeting Hamas leadership.
The killing is expected to further complicate already stalled ceasefire negotiations and hostage discussions. Analysts say Hamas has repeatedly adapted after losing senior commanders during the conflict, though Haddad’s death represents another major blow to the group’s military command structure.