Tel Aviv, May 16, 2026 — Izz al-Din al-Haddad, identified by the Israel Defense Forces as the head of Hamas’s military wing and a planner of the October 7, 2023 attacks, was killed in a targeted airstrike in Gaza City on Friday, the IDF said.
The IDF said in a post on X that Haddad took on a senior role after the killing of Mohammed Sinwar and worked to rebuild Hamas’s military capabilities, planning operations against Israeli civilians and troops. Israeli authorities also accused him of managing Hamas’s hostage captivity system and of remaining close to hostages in an effort to deter attacks on him.
Israel’s Internal Security Agency described Haddad as one of the group’s longest-serving commanders, noting he held several senior positions including commander of the Gaza City Brigade. Haddad became the military chief in the Gaza Strip after Sinwar was killed in May 2025, the statement said.
At least seven Palestinians, including Haddad, were reported killed and dozens wounded in two Israeli strikes on a residential building and a civilian vehicle in Gaza City, local sources said. In a joint statement following the strikes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said they had targeted “one of the architects” of the October 7 attacks.
Haddad’s death is the latest high-ranking removal claimed by Israel during the campaign since the October 7 attacks, which resulted in over 1,000 deaths in Israel. The Israeli offensive has included multiple strikes against senior Hamas figures.
This report is based on a syndicated feed from ANI and was published by The Tribune. The Tribune publishes the content as received and assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness.
