Izz al-Din al-Haddad is now seen as the likely new leader of Hamas following the death of Muhammad Sinwar, the head of the group’s military wing, in an Israeli airstrike earlier this month. Al-Haddad is the most senior commander left from Hamas’s pre-war Gaza leadership and is expected to take over operational control, reports the Jerusalem Post.Sinwar, who had led Hamas since the assassinations of Yahya Sinwar and Muhammad Deif in 2024, was killed on May 13 during a precision airstrike on the grounds of the European Hospital in Khan Younis. The IDF confirmed the attack also killed Rafah Brigade commander Muhammad Shabana and South Khan Younis battalion chief Mahdi Quara. Over 50 precision-guided munitions were used in the 30-second strike, which reportedly hit a Hamas command centre beneath the hospital without damaging the facility.
Al-Haddad has long served on Hamas’s Military Council and led the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza City since 2021. In November 2023, he was appointed head of Hamas’s northern Gaza brigade. According to The Jerusalem Post, he is now the last surviving member of Hamas’s five original brigade commanders in Gaza.Known for his secretive profile, al-Haddad is believed to have survived six Israeli assassination attempts and carries a $750,000 bounty. He was a key planner of the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and is reported to control the group currently holding Israeli hostages.With most of Hamas’s senior figures now gone, al-Haddad is expected to direct both military strategy and negotiations over hostages. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has warned him directly, saying: “You are next in line.”
