Freed Israeli hostages who were held by Hamas Gaza chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad celebrated Friday’s Israeli strike targeting him, calling it a moment of closure after years in which he evaded repeated assassination attempts and rose to become one of the terror group’s most senior surviving commanders.
Israel said it targeted Haddad, the head of Hamas’s military wing in the Gaza Strip and one of the principal architects of the October 7 massacre, in an airstrike in Gaza City on Friday evening. There was no immediate official confirmation that he had been killed, though Israeli security officials said there were initial indications the strike had succeeded.
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Hamas Gaza chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad
(Photo: Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP, AP/ Jehad Alshrafi)
The strike hit a residential building in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, sending a huge cloud of dust and smoke over the area. Gaza medics said several people were killed and wounded in the strikes, which reportedly targeted both an apartment where Haddad was believed to be hiding and a vehicle that left the location at the same time.
Minutes after the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed they had ordered the strike, describing Haddad as “the leader of the military wing of the Hamas terrorist organization and one of the architects of the October 7 massacre.” They said he was responsible for the murder, abduction and harm of thousands of Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, held hostages in brutal captivity, orchestrated attacks against Israeli forces and refused to implement the US-backed plan for Hamas’s disarmament and the demilitarization of Gaza.
Haddad, in his mid-50s, had climbed through Hamas’s ranks from commander of the Gaza City Brigade to the organization’s top military figure in the Strip. He became Hamas’s military chief in Gaza after Israel killed Muhammad Sinwar in May 2025, and was considered one of the last major surviving commanders from the October 7 generation.
According to Israeli assessments, Haddad personally held hostages during the war and used them as human shields to avoid being targeted. Among those held under his control were Nahal Oz surveillance soldiers Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Naama Levy and Agam Berger. Freed hostage Emily Damari also said she had been held by him in Hamas tunnels.
Albag, who was abducted from the Nahal Oz base on October 7, reacted shortly after the strike with a post on Instagram: “Every dog has its day, and you were a real bitch.”
She later added that “this monster held quite a few other hostages and me in captivity,” calling Haddad “one of the architects of October 7” who had “blood on his hands” from hundreds of people. “He planned the abductions, the murders, the horrific and unimaginable acts,” she wrote. “Thank you to everyone involved in this closing of the circle.”
Damari also welcomed the strike, posting a message of thanks to Israeli security forces and calling it “a very, very, very important closing of a circle for many people.”
“He thought and planned October 7, he murdered my friends and many other dear people,” she wrote. “He planned my abduction and also held me in Hamas tunnels. With God’s help, we will reach every one of them.”
Former hostage Romi Gonen dedicated the strike to her friend Gaya Halifa, who was murdered on October 7. “This elimination is for you,” she wrote. “It will not bring you back, but God has avenged and will continue to avenge your blood until the last terrorist.”
Eitan Mor, another former hostage, has also said he met Haddad during captivity. He recalled that on his first day in Gaza, Haddad spoke to him in Hebrew and told him, “Don’t worry, in two weeks you’ll be out of here.” Mor said he did not initially know who Haddad was, but came to understand his identity over time.
Haddad, who spoke Hebrew, was known in Israel as Hamas’s “ghost” after surviving several assassination attempts over the years. During the war, Israeli officials said, he moved between numerous hideouts, changed his appearance, dyed his hair black and trimmed much of his beard while continuing to play a central role in holding hostages and directing Hamas operations.
Israel had sought to eliminate Haddad for a long time. According to Israeli officials, political approval for the strike was given about a week and a half earlier. From that point, intelligence surveillance of him continued until an operational opportunity emerged that was assessed as having a high probability of success.
Initial footage from the strike targeting Izz al-Din al-Haddad
Israeli officials believe Haddad opposed the Trump administration’s “Council of Peace” plan for Hamas’s disarmament. They assess that his removal, if confirmed, will not derail negotiations but could influence Hamas’s internal calculations. One security source said the strike might even push Hamas closer to accepting the disarmament framework.
Military and security commentator Ron Ben-Yishai noted that Haddad’s killing would not end Hamas rule in Gaza, but would severely damage the morale of the organization’s leadership in the Strip and its ability to make decisions on core issues, especially disarmament.
Israel is also demanding that senior Hamas field commanders and top officials leave Gaza. Haddad’s targeting advances that pressure, Israeli officials argue, by showing Hamas leaders and those involved in October 7 that Israeli intelligence and the Air Force can reach them even when they are hiding in tunnels. Some commanders are now believed to be considering exile as a way to preserve their lives.
Haddad was aligned with Hamas’s hardline camp, which argued that Washington would not allow Israel to eliminate the organization. He reportedly opposed handing over most categories of weapons and believed Hamas could delay Israeli moves in Gaza until US pressure forced Israel to stop.
His targeting comes as Hamas’s political wing prepares to announce a new leader. The main contenders are Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Mashal, both considered frontrunners for the post of political bureau chief. According to a report in the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, a decision is expected on Sunday, with al-Hayya seen as having the stronger chance.
If Haddad’s death is confirmed, it would mark one of Israel’s most significant strikes against Hamas leadership since the US-backed ceasefire deal that was meant to halt the fighting in Gaza, and a deeply personal moment for former hostages who say he was directly involved in their captivity.