In a statement he issued last night, the IDF spokesman was asked about the identity of Hamas’ current commander and replied briefly: “Izz al-Din al-Haddad, is in the northern Gaza Strip.” Haddad, the former Gaza Brigade Commander, is the last senior member of Hamas’s leadership remaining and is involved in negotiations for a ceasefire.
The IDF subtly confirmed last night (Thursday) that Izz al-Din al-Haddad is currently the commander of Hamas’ military wing in the Gaza Strip.
In response to a media question during a statement by IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin, the question was raised about who currently leads Hamas, to which he replied: “Izz al-Din al-Haddad is in the northern Gaza Strip. I will not expand on this.”
Haddad, about 55 years old, was one of the commanders of the Gaza Brigade and gradually became one of the senior figures in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
He was involved in planning the October 7th terror attack and even gave an interview to Al Jazeera during that period, where he confirmed his role in the events.
According to sources within the security establishment, Haddad has survived in the field despite Israel having eliminated nearly all of Hamas’ top leadership in Gaza. Among the senior officials eliminated since the beginning of the fighting are: Mohammed Deif, Marwan Issa, Ahmed Randour, Ayman Nofal, Rafa Salama, and Mohammed Shabana.
Currently, Haddad is considered the last surviving senior member of the leadership from the early stages of the war. It is believed that he resides in Gaza City and is directly involved in negotiations for a future deal for the release of hostages.
According to a report in The New York Times, Haddad stated that his goal is to achieve a “respectable deal” but emphasized that if this is not achieved, he will lead the fighting toward a “martyrdom operation.”
