Israel said it killed Ezzedin al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, in a strike in Gaza City on Friday.
Hamas and his family later confirmed his death to The Associated Press, while a senior Hamas official told that he was killed in an Israeli strike on a residential apartment and a civilian vehicle in Gaza City.
The death of al-Haddad came at a sensitive moment in the conflict, with the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas still under strain.
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The last major architect of October 7 still alive in Gaza is dead.
Izz al-Din al-Haddad, Hamas military chief, founding member since 1987, known as the Ghost of Al-Qassam, killed last night in an IAF strike in Gaza City. His wife and daughter died with him.
He personally… https://t.co/fQWZBdKuDr pic.twitter.com/NQ2qwHwAkn
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 16, 2026
Hamas loses a key commander
Al-Haddad was widely known by the nom de guerre “Abu Suhaib” and the nickname “The Ghost of al-Qassam.”
He served as the overall commander of Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, in the Gaza Strip, and Israeli officials said he took over after the killing of Mohammed Sinwar.
Israel has identified him as one of the principal planners of the October 7, 2023, attacks and said he was responsible for directing operations including the capture of military bases and the broadcasting of the assault.
Israeli media also reported that he managed Hamas’s internal hostage system and had veto power over release proposals.
Massive crowds take part in the funeral procession of Izz Al-Din Al-Haddad, the commander of Hamas’s military arm, Al-Qassam Brigades, who was killed along with his wife and children last night in a series of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City. pic.twitter.com/mid2Xplqha
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 16, 2026
A man built in the shadows
Al-Haddad had been part of Hamas since the group’s founding in 1987 and had risen through its ranks over the years. He had built a reputation for operating in secrecy, which earned him the “Ghost” label.
He also served in Al-Majd, Hamas’s internal security and counterintelligence apparatus established by the group’s founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. During that period, he focused on identifying suspected collaborators.
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The truce holds, just
His killing comes as the wider Gaza war continues to cast a shadow over ceasefire efforts. The strike marked the most senior Hamas figure killed by Israel since the U.S.-backed ceasefire began.
Israeli strikes have continued despite the truce and the negotiations over the next phase remain stalled.
The latest death adds another blow to Hamas’s military leadership at a time when both sides remain locked in disputes over the future of Gaza and the fate of remaining hostages.
