Gaza, Palestinian territories. Israel’s military said on Saturday it killed Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the chief of Hamas’ military wing, in an air strike on Gaza the previous day. A senior Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Haddad’s death.
Israel’s statement and Hamas confirmation
Israel’s military said Haddad was the most senior Hamas official killed by Israel since an October U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement that was meant to halt fighting. Hamas has not publicly announced Haddad’s death.
Funeral in central Gaza
A joint funeral was held on Saturday at Al Aqsa Martyrs mosque in central Gaza for Haddad, his wife, and his 19-year-old daughter. It was not immediately clear how they died.
Friday attacks and casualty reports
Israel carried out at least two attacks on Gaza on Friday, killing seven Palestinians, including three women and a child, according to local medics.
Netanyahu and Katz comments
In a joint statement with his defence minister on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the military had carried out an air strike targeting the Hamas leader, without saying if he had been killed. Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said Haddad was an architect of the October 7, 2023 attacks launched by Hamas militants that precipitated Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza.
Haddad’s role and background
Haddad, who was born in 1970, became the group’s military chief in Gaza after Israel’s killing of Mohammad Sinwar in May 2025, according to the report. Netanyahu and Katz said Haddad “was responsible for the murder, abduction, and harm inflicted on thousands of Israeli civilians (and) soldiers.”
Nicknamed ‘the Ghost’, Haddad had survived multiple assassination attempts by Israel, according to Hamas sources. Israel’s military said he was one of Hamas’ longest-serving commanders, rising through the ranks from the group’s early establishment in the 1980s to hold several senior positions.
Talks and broader military context
Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked in indirect talks to advance U.S. President Donald Trump’s post-war plan for Gaza that is meant to end more than two years of fighting. Israel has escalated its attacks in Gaza in the weeks since halting its joint bombing with the U.S. in Iran, redirecting its fire back on the ruined Palestinian territory where the military says Hamas fighters are tightening their grip.
What impact do you think Haddad’s reported killing could have on the stalled indirect talks over Gaza’s post-war plan?
