Izz al-Din al-Haddad (Image credit: x@idf)
Israeli forces killed Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the head of Hamas’s military wing and one of the last senior commanders linked to planning the October 7 attacks on Israel, in a targeted airstrike in Gaza City, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).In a post on Saturday.Israel said Haddad had taken over the role after Mohammed Sinwar was killed. The forces also said, “Haddad was involved in holding a number of Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity and managed Hamas’s hostage capture system by surrounding himself with hostages in an effort to prevent their elimination.”Israeli forces also said they killed two Hamas activists, Hamer Iyad Muhammad Almatuq and Khaled Muhammad Salem Joudeh, in separate operations. The IDF accused both men of infiltrating Israel during the October 7 attacks and said they had recently attempted to carry out attacks against Israeli troops operating in the area.According to the Israeli Security Agency (ISA), cited by AP, Haddad was one of Hamas’s longest-serving commanders and joined the organization during its initial founding in the 1980s.He maintained close ties to the Hamas leadership and held several senior positions, including commander of the Gaza City Brigade and other units. He was also a member of Hamas’s Military Council, one of the group’s top command bodies, which played a key role in planning the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.According to Israeli data, the October 7 attacks killed about 1,200 people in Israel, while more than 250 were taken hostage in Gaza.At least seven Palestinians, including Haddad, were killed and dozens injured in two Israeli airstrikes that targeted a residential building and a civilian vehicle in Gaza City on Friday. Israel’s military chief described the killing as an “important operation” and said the country would continue to pursue its enemies to hold them accountable.Haddad’s death joins a growing list of senior Hamas military commanders killed during the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Israel’s retaliatory attacks have killed more than 72,700 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas-run government, but is staffed by medical professionals who maintain and publish detailed records that are generally considered credible by the international community.The killing comes at a time when the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, with key issues such as Hamas’ disarmament preventing progress in talks. Despite a ceasefire that took effect in October, there have been almost daily Israeli attacks on Gaza, with more than 850 people reported killed since then, according to Gaza’s health ministry.Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of repeated violations since the ceasefire began.