Hamas Commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad Killed: Impact on Movement's Operations in Gaza

On May 16, 2026, Israel confirmed it killed Izz al-Din al-Haddad, head of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, in a double airstrike targeting a civilian apartment in the Remal neighborhood of Gaza City. The attack killed seven Palestinians, including women and children, and wounded 50 others.

The incident occurred amid the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that took effect in October 2025. Israel says the operation targeting al-Haddad was necessary to weaken Hamas's combat capabilities, but analysts say the impact on the group's military activity is uncertain.

Impact on Operations: Will Qassam Brigades Collapse?

The loss of senior Hamas commanders like Mohammed Deif, Marwan Issa, and Mohammed Sinwar made al-Haddad a key military figure in the fight against Israel. However, experts say the Qassam Brigades are organized along decentralized lines with a peer-to-peer command network rather than a strict hierarchy.

Palestinian political analyst Saeed Ziad said: 'Qassam units operate independently, self-sufficient in logistics and tactics. If a brigade or battalion loses a commander, members still know their tasks and have enough resources to execute them.' According to Ziad, restructuring Hamas's central command could take just days, not months.

Analysts also noted that al-Haddad used the October 2025 ceasefire to rebuild the movement's infrastructure, including tunnels, weapons, and combat formations.

Who Remains in Hamas's Military Leadership?

Israeli officials say only two members of Hamas's military council, Mohammed Awad and Imad Aqel, remain alive after the crackdown. Yet analysts point out that the armed wing, with about 50,000 fighters before the war, has a strict succession process appointing at least three deputies for each commander.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem officially confirmed al-Haddad's death, calling him the 'General Commander' of the Qassam Brigades. He said it was a 'great loss' but stressed 'the long-lasting resistance continues.'

The 'Ghost' of the Qassam Brigades

Born in the early 1970s, al-Haddad joined Hamas in 1987. He rose from infantryman to commander of the Gaza City Brigade, overseeing six battalions with about 6,000 fighters and 4,000 support staff. He was key in establishing al-Majd, Hamas's internal security arm that tracked Israeli collaborators.

His nickname 'Ghost' stemmed from surviving multiple assassination attempts, including bombings of his homes in 2009, 2012, 2021, and three times during the current Gaza war. He was seen as a chief architect of the October 7, 2023 attack, directly overseeing the breach of Gaza's eastern fence and commanding elite units in the assault on the Re'im military base.

In January 2025, his son Suhaib died in an Israeli airstrike, but al-Haddad continued commanding operations and overseeing the detention of Israeli prisoners until a swap deal was reached.

Fragile Ceasefire

After the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a rare joint statement confirming the assassination was carried out on their direct orders. Analysts think this aims to create a pretext for Israel to 'normalize' violations of the ceasefire and to seek U.S. backing for operations.

Analyst Mohannad Mustafa said: 'Israel's ultimate goal is to force Hamas to retaliate, leading to the ceasefire's collapse and paving the way for 'Gideon 2' – an operation to seize all of the Gaza Strip.' At least 871 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025.

History shows that killing leaders like al-Haddad rarely has lasting impact on Palestinian movements. Analyst Saeed Ziad concluded: 'For fighters and Gaza's people, these deaths form a 'blood pact.' It reinforces determination more than undermining it. Retreating after losing leaders like Deif, Sinwar, or Haddad is seen as betrayal of that blood.'