Izz al-Din al-Haddad
Izz al-Din al-Haddad | |
|---|---|
عز الدين الحداد | |
| 4th Leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip | |
| Assumed office 13 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Mohammed Sinwar |
| 8th Commander of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades | |
| Assumed office 13 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Mohammed Sinwar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Izz ad-Din al-Haddad |
| Residence(s) | Gaza Strip, Palestine |
| Nickname(s) | Abu Suhaib (kunya) The Ghost of the Gaza Strip[1] |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Hamas (Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades) |
| Years of service | 1987–present |
| Rank | Commander |
| Battles/wars | |
Izz al-Din al-Haddad (Arabic: عز الدين الحداد), also known by his nom de guerre Abu Suhaib (Arabic: أبو صهيب), is a Palestinian politician and militant who has served as the leader and eighth commander in the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades since May 2025. He has also served as the fourth Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip since May 2025. He held both positions following the assassination of his predecessor, Mohammed Sinwar.[2] He also co-currently served as the head of the Gaza Brigade and oversees the northern sector of the Gaza Strip.
Al-Haddad is a member of Hamas's General Military Council and has been instrumental in planning and executing the group's operations.[3] He is known as the "Ghost of al-Qassam" in Gaza.[3]
Early life and career
Al-Haddad joined Hamas at a young age, aligning with the movement since its inception in 1987. He began his career as an operative in the Gaza Brigade and rose through the ranks to become a platoon commander, then a battalion commander, eventually leading the brigade itself.[4]
Later career
Al-Haddad assumed control of Al-Qassam Brigades' Gaza City brigade during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, after the assassination of his predecessor, Bassem Issa.[1][5] In November 2023, he took command of Hamas's northern Gaza brigade,[2] and became the overall commander of northern Gaza by June 2024. He had commanded at least six battalions and a special forces unit.[1]
Al-Haddad also had a senior role in Hamas's internal security unit, Al-Majd, which engaged in efforts to uncover spies and collaborators with Israel.[6] He was close to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and the pair are thought to have discussed internal security and counterintelligence operations.[1]
Al-Haddad is known for his operational secrecy and rarely appears in public, earning him the nickname the "Ghost of al-Qassam".[6] However, in May 2022, he was seen in a video threatening Israel, and in January 2025, he gave an interview to Al Jazeera, discussing his role in planning the October 7 attack.[7]
Gaza war
Role in the October 7 attacks
On 6 October 2023, al-Haddad convened his battalion commanders and distributed written orders for the planned attack on Israel, later known as Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. The orders emphasized the importance of abducting Israeli soldiers and transporting them into Gaza,[1] as well as "live broadcasting and the takedown of Israeli communities".[8] The following day, Hamas launched a surprise attack, resulting in significant casualties and the abduction of Israeli civilians and soldiers. During the attacks, al-Haddad managed the initial incursion into Israeli territory. His instructions led to some of the deadliest attacks during the incursion, particularly the Nahal Oz attack.[9][8]
Activities during the Gaza war
In November 2023, Israeli authorities offered US$750,000 for information on al-Haddad leading to his capture or death.[1]
During the Gaza war, al-Haddad oversaw efforts to reconstruct infrastructure during ceasefires. He also oversaw handovers of Israeli hostages.[8] A former Israeli hostage told The Wall Street Journal that they had met al-Haddad five times, and occasionally slept in the same apartment as him. The former hostage said that during their initial encounter in March 2024, al-Haddad insisted on speaking to hostages in Hebrew and asked them if they had any needs. He once insisted his fighters recover a book that the hostage had left behind. The hostage said that al-Haddad's demeanor had become "more negative" during a later meeting in January 2025. The meeting took place shortly after his eldest son and grandson were killed in an airstrike in Gaza City on January 17.[10] His second son was killed in an airstrike later in April.[8][1]
Following the killing of Yahya Sinwar, The Wall Street Journal reported that al-Haddad took command of two regional commands and 14 battalions, practically sharing control of Hamas with Mohammed Sinwar.[1] In 2025, he helped push Mohammed Sinwar to accept the Gaza war ceasefire with Israel, and tried to convince him to release additional hostages before the ceasefire collapsed in March.[10]
Leadership
In May 2025, al-Haddad became Hamas's leader after Mohammed Sinwar was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike.[6]
As of May 2025, al-Haddad continues to lead Hamas's military wing's operations in the northern Gaza Strip and is involved in rebuilding the group's capabilities following significant losses during the ongoing conflict.[11] As the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, he has veto power over any ceasefire or hostage deal in the Gaza war.[2] According to Arab officials, he is more open to hostage deals and Israeli demands for Hamas to disarm, but believes that all of the hostages should not be released until the end of the war and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.[10][6]
According to a Middle Eastern official, al-Haddad views the Chechen fight against Russia during the First Chechen War as a model that Hamas should follow in Gaza.[12]
Israeli targeting and assassination attempts
Al-Haddad has survived multiple Israeli assassination attempts, reportedly six,[2] and is considered one of the most wanted Hamas commanders by Israel. He is ranked second on Israel's most-wanted list of al-Qassam leaders, following Ra'ad Sa'ad.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Next in line? The Hamas commander poised to succeed Sinwar". Ynetnews. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Hamas's Gaza City commander, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, to replace Sinwar as Hamas chief". Jerusalem Post. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ a b Halabi, Einav; Ari, Lior Ben (2025-03-30). "Hamas said to turn down $2B offer to disarm, relocate top commanders from Gaza". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
- ^ a b "Ez al-Dine al-Haddad: The Gaza Brigade Commander Tasked With Rebuilding al-Qassam". Al-Estiklal. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ Truzman, Joe (2025-06-06). "Analysis: Who will replace Muhammad Sinwar as the leader of Hamas in Gaza?". FDD's Long War Journal. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
- ^ a b c d "Hamas's new Gaza leader: A Hebrew-speaking 'ghost' with a $750,000 price on his head". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
- ^ "Israel may have killed Muhammad Sinwar, but he was likely never in the driver's seat". The Times of Israel. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d Weiniger, Gabrielle (2025-06-01). "Meet the new Hamas leader standing in the way of a ceasefire deal". The Times. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
- ^ Bodkin, Henry (2025-06-08). "Hamas's 'last man standing' faces fight to keep control of Gaza". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
- ^ a b c Said, Summer; Lieber, Dov; Peled, Anat (2025-06-11). "The 'Ghost of al-Qassam' Becomes Hamas's Third Leader in Seven Months". WSJ. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
- ^ "Ezz al-Din al-Hadad". European Council on Foreign Relations. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ Rasgon, Adam; Bergman, Ronen (2025-07-03). "Hamas Has a New Leader in Gaza. His Next Test: Cease-Fire Talks". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-04.