Hamas has condemned the killing of senior Qassam Brigades commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad, describing the Israeli strike as a “treacherous and cowardly assassination” carried out in Gaza City.
Israeli authorities confirmed that al-Haddad, who headed Hamas’s armed wing in Gaza, was targeted in a major airstrike on Friday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz accused him of playing a central role in the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.
According to reports, the strike hit the Rimal area of Gaza City, killing several people and causing heavy destruction to residential buildings.
Hamas later confirmed al-Haddad’s death, while mosques in northern Gaza announced his “martyrdom” during funeral prayers.
Al-Haddad had become one of Hamas’s most senior remaining military figures after the death of Mohammad Sinwar in 2025. Israeli officials described him as one of the last top commanders linked to the planning of the October 7 attacks.
