The IDF and the ISA on Saturday confirmed the elimination of terrorist terrorist Izz al-Din al-Haddad, head of Hamas' military wing, in a precise strike near Gaza City on Friday.
Al-Haddad was one of the last senior Hamas leaders who served as an architect of the horrific October 7th massacre.
He assumed his role following the elimination of Mohammed Sinwar, and over the recent period, worked to rebuild the capabilities of the terrorist organization's military wing and to plan numerous terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops.
Throughout the war, al-Haddad was involved in the holding of many Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity. Al-Haddad managed Hamas’ hostage captivity system and surrounded himself with hostages in an attempt to prevent his elimination.
Al-Haddad was also one of the longest-serving commanders in Hamas, having joined the terrorist organization during its early establishment, and maintained close ties with Hamas leadership. Throughout his time in the terrorist organization, al-Haddad played a central role in Hamas’ terrorist rule and held a number of senior positions, such as the commander of the Gaza City Brigade and commander of additional units.
"Al-Haddad is one of the last senior commanders in Hamas' military wing who directed the planning and execution of the October 7th massacre and the management of combat operations against IDF troops," the IDF added. "His elimination joins the eliminations of numerous other senior Hamas military wing commanders during the war."
According to Gaza reports, al-Haddad's wife and daughter were killed alongside him.
Following the elimination, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said, "This is a significant operational achievement by the IDF, led by the Southern Command, IDF intelligence, the Israeli Air Force, and the ISA."
"In every conversation I held with the hostages who returned, the name of the arch-terrorist Izz al-Din al-Haddad, one of the chief perpetrators of the October 7th massacre and the head of Hamas’ military wing, came up again and again. Today, we succeeded in eliminating him.
"The IDF will continue to pursue our enemies, strike them, and hold accountable everyone who took part in the October 7th massacre. We will not relent until we reach them all - this is our duty to all those who returned and to all citizens of the State of Israel."
At the conclusion of the situational assessment, Zamir instructed the Southern Command to maintain a high level of operational readiness and to respond immediately to any attempt to harm our troops or the territory of the State of Israel.
