Israel Releases New Details on Killing of Hamas Military Wing Commander
Israeli forces say Ezzeddin Haddad played a central role in the Oct. 7 attacks and managed hostage operations during the Gaza war
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Israel’s military and internal security agency have released new details regarding the killing of Ezzeddin Haddad, the commander-in-chief of Hamas’ military wing, in the Gaza Strip.
On Saturday, the Israeli army and the Shin Bet security agency issued a joint statement announcing further information about the operation that killed Haddad, commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
According to the statement published on the social media platform X, Haddad was considered one of the last remaining senior commanders within Hamas’ military leadership and had supervised the planning and execution of the Oct. 7 attacks.
The Israeli military stated that Haddad had also been involved in holding a large number of Israeli hostages during the war.
It further claimed that he managed hostage detention systems and surrounded himself with hostages in an effort to avoid being targeted by Israeli forces.
Israeli authorities described Haddad as one of Hamas’ oldest commanders, saying he had been affiliated with the movement since its establishment and had held several senior positions, including commander of Gaza City Brigade and other military units.
Within Hamas, Haddad was reportedly known by the aliases “Abu Suhaib” and “The Ghost of Qassam.”
According to media sources, Israel carried out the strike late on Friday, May 15, 2026, targeting Haddad’s apartment in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood.
The attack reportedly involved three warplanes and 13 missiles.
Earlier on Saturday, Haddad, his wife, and one of his children were buried during a large funeral procession in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli media said Haddad’s residence had previously been targeted several times in 2009, 2012, and 2021, though he survived those earlier attacks.
His death comes after the killings of several senior Hamas figures, including Mohammed Deif, Marwan Issa, and Mohammed Sinwar, after which Haddad emerged as one of the movement’s most prominent commanders in Gaza.