Ra’ad Sa’ad, a veteran and senior figure in Hamas’s military wing, was killed over Shabbat afternoon in an Israeli strike in western Gaza City, Israeli defense sources said.
Sa’ad served as head of the production headquarters of Hamas’s military wing and was considered the organization’s number two figure, operating under the wing’s commander, Izz al-Din al-Haddad. He was regarded as one of the most senior and respected operatives within Hamas’s military leadership.
According to the information released, Sa’ad had been active in Hamas since its early years. He was detained by Israel in 1990 and later imprisoned by the Palestinian Authority in the late 1990s due to his involvement in Hamas activities. Over the years, he was closely associated with Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, as well as senior military leaders Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa.
In the past, Sa’ad commanded Hamas’s Gaza Brigade and later established the group’s naval force in the Gaza Strip, leading it during the early 2010s. Following Operation Protective Edge in 2014, he played a significant role in Hamas’s leadership as part of the military wing’s senior command.
Sa’ad also previously served as Hamas’s head of operations, where he was responsible for operational planning, including the establishment of the elite Nukhba units and the development of the operational plan known as Walls Of Jericho - the code name for the October 7th massacre.
Israeli officials said Sa’ad had long been a target for assassination, and described his killing as a significant blow to Hamas, particularly to its command-and-control structure and its weapons production apparatus. As head of the production headquarters, Sa’ad was responsible for the manufacture of numerous explosive devices during the war, which Israeli sources say were used in attacks that killed many Israeli soldiers.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, an “emerging intelligence opportunity” presented itself when Military Intelligence identified Sa’ad traveling in his vehicle in western Gaza City. The intelligence led directly to the strike that killed him.
Israeli officials also noted that since the beginning of the ceasefire, and especially over the past two weeks, Hamas has repeatedly attempted to manufacture explosives and carry out attacks. These included incidents involving explosive devices used against IDF forces, such as the attachment of an explosive to a Namer armored vehicle operated by Golani Brigade troops and another explosive attack. Israeli officials said these actions constitute a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement.