Izz al-Din al-Haddad, a long-serving Hamas commander who replaced Mohammed Sinwar as the head of Hamas' military wing, and played a key role in planning of Oct. 7 attacks in Israel was killed in a precision strike on Friday, Israeli officials said Saturday. Izz al-Din al-Haddad was the head of Hamas’ military wing, the Israel Defense Forces said in a post.&nbsp;&nbsp;The IDF said that al-Haddad “was involved in the holding of many Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity” during the war in Gaza.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🔴ELIMINATED: Izz al-Din al-Haddad, Head of Hamas’ military wing and one of the last senior commanders involved in the planning of the October 7 massacre. Following the elimination of Mohammed Sinwar, Haddad assumed his role and worked to rebuild Hamas’ capabilities and planned… <a href="https://t.co/6TW7Wewt7m">pic.twitter.com/6TW7Wewt7m</a>&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/2055589711737966778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Throughout the war, Haddad was involved in the holding of many Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity. Haddad managed Hamas’s hostage captivity system and surrounded himself with hostages in an attempt to prevent his elimination,” it added. Haddad had joined Hamas soon after its establishment and was working “to rehabilitate Hamas’ military wing capabilities,” the Israeli army said. <h2>‘An important closing of a circle’</h2> “This is an important closing of a circle. In all the conversations I had with the abductees who returned, the name of the master murderer, Iz al-Din Haddad ... came up time and time again,” IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said in a statement. The Israeli army said Haddad was killed in a “precise strike” in Gaza City. His funeral was held in Gaza City on Saturday.Two Israeli strikes were reported in Gaza City on Friday. One targeted a building and another a vehicle. Health officials in the Palestine Red Crescent Society’s Saraya Field Hospital and Shifa hospital said seven people were killed and dozens more were wounded in the strikes. <h2>Haddad took over as Hamas military chief after killing of Moh Sinwar</h2> Haddad took over the role of military chief and leader of Hamas in Gaza following the killing of Mohammed Sinwar in May 2025.Haddad had been working to rebuild the capabilities of the terrorist organization’s military wing and to plan numerous terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops, the IDF said. He was one of the longest-serving commanders in Hamas and played a central role in Hamas’s terrorist rule over the Strip.Haddad was one of the last senior commanders who directed the planning and execution of the October 7 massacre and the management of combat operations against IDF troops, it added.Nicknamed ‘The Ghost’, Haddad had survived ⁠multiple assassination attempts.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad was one of the longest-serving commanders in Hamas and played a central role in Hamas’s terrorist rule over the Gaza Strip. He was one of the last senior commanders who directed the planning and execution of the October 7 massacre and the management of combat operations.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad, a long-serving Hamas commander who replaced Mohammed Sinwar as the head of Hamas' military wing, and played a key role in planning of Oct. 7 attacks in Israel was killed in a precision strike on Friday, Israeli officials said Saturday. Izz al-Din al-Haddad was the head of Hamas’ military wing, the Israel Defense Forces said in a post. The IDF said that al-Haddad “was involved in the holding of many Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity” during the war in Gaza.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad was one of the longest-serving commanders in Hamas and played a central role in Hamas’s terrorist rule over the Gaza Strip. He was one of the last senior commanders who directed the planning and execution of the October 7 massacre and the management of combat operations.

Hamas chief who replaced Mohd Sinwar and helped plan Oct. 7 attacks killed, says Israel

Israeli forces have confirmed the death of Raad Saad, a senior Hamas military figure responsible for overseeing weapons production, in a targeted strike in Gaza on Saturday (December 13). This strike also killed five others in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, located southwest of Gaza City. According to Palestinian medical sources and the civil defense agency in Gaza, the airstrike hit a civilian vehicle, causing it to catch fire and killing everyone inside.&nbsp;Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, said that the strike was a response to an explosive device detonated by Hamas earlier, injuring Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip's "Yellow Zone." Saad, described by Israeli authorities as one of the masterminds behind the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, was reportedly in charge of Hamas's weapons development.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🎯STRUCK: A short while ago, the IDF and ISA struck a key Hamas terrorist in the area of Gaza City. Recently, the terrorist operated to reestablish Hamas&#39; capabilities &amp; weapons manufacturing. Details to follow.&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1999834056825979128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Israeli army had earlier mentioned that two reserve soldiers were lightly wounded by an explosive device while clearing the Gaza area of Hamas infrastructure. However, it remains unclear whether the airstrike on Tel al-Hawa was linked to the operation targeting Saad.The ceasefire brokered by the United States between Israel and Hamas in early October has been fragile, with both sides accusing each other of violations. Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to maintain control of a significant portion of Gaza, and the military has warned that tensions could escalate.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the civil defense agency reported that two teenage boys, aged 17 and 18, were also killed by Israeli gunfire in separate incidents across Gaza. The bodies of the five individuals killed in the vehicle attack were transported to Al-Shifa Hospital, where more than 25 people were also treated for injuries. In the aftermath, residents witnessed the devastation in Tel al-Hawa, where multiple missiles were fired at the civilian vehicle, leaving charred wreckage and scattered body parts on the ground. Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scene, with local residents rushing to put out the flames before emergency responders arrived.

Top Hamas commander, Raad Saad, killed in Gaza strike, says Israel

Israeli forces have confirmed the death of Raad Saad, a senior Hamas military figure responsible for overseeing weapons production, in a targeted strike in Gaza on Saturday (December 13). This strike also killed five others in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, located southwest of Gaza City. According to Palestinian medical sources and the civil defense agency in Gaza, the airstrike hit a civilian vehicle, causing it to catch fire and killing everyone inside. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, said that the strike was a response to an explosive device detonated by Hamas earlier, injuring Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip's "Yellow Zone." Saad, described by Israeli authorities as one of the masterminds behind the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, was reportedly in charge of Hamas's weapons development.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill five people, including Hamas weapons chief Raad Saad. The attack follows a ceasefire breach amid ongoing violence in the region

An Israeli drone strike killed five people in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the Palestinian press agency Wafa and Palestinian sources reported, while the Israeli military said it struck a "terrorist cell" in the Tulkarem region.

The director of the Thabet Thabet Hospital in Tulkarem said in a statement that "five martyrs" had arrived at the facility after "an Israeli drone strike on a Palestinian vehicle close to the village of Zeita in Tulkarem".

According to Wafa, an Israeli military drone targeted a vehicle "with two missiles" which caught fire, killing five men.

At the scene of the strike a witness told AFP, "I live less than 50 metres (yards) from here. We came (after) the sound of an explosion and saw a vehicle on fire" on the road towards Zeita, to the north of Tulkarem.

Watch |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: IDF announces that Deif was killed on July 13

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"Next to it, we saw a body lying on the road. Inside the vehicle, there were three charred bodies, from what we were able to see, completely burnt," added Nasser, who declined to have his last name published.&nbsp;

The Israeli military quickly sealed off the area, Wafa reported.&nbsp;

The Israeli military said it had carried out an airstrike against a militant cell around the West Bank city of Tulkarm. Hamas media said a vehicle carrying fighters had been struck and that one of the commanders of its Tulkarm brigades was killed.

Alongside the Israel-Hamas war that began last October in the Gaza Strip, violence has intensified in the West Bank.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-mossad-hired-iranian-agents-to-plant-bomb-in-hamas-chiefs-guesthouse-746755">Also read |&nbsp;Israel's Mossad hired Iranian agents to plant bomb in Hamas chief's guesthouse room: Report</a>

At least 594 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers in the West Bank since October 7, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures.&nbsp;

At least 17 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed by Palestinian attacks in the West Bank over the same period, according to official Israeli figures.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

An Israeli drone strike killed five people in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the Palestinian press agency Wafa and Palestinian sources reported, while the Israeli military said it struck a "terrorist cell" in the Tulkarem region.

An Israeli drone strike killed five people in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the Palestinian press agency Wafa and Palestinian sources reported, while the Israeli military said it struck a "terrorist cell" in the Tulkarem region. The director of the Thabet Thabet Hospital in Tulkarem said in a statement that "five martyrs" had arrived at the facility after "an Israeli drone strike on a Palestinian vehicle close to the village of Zeita in Tulkarem". According to Wafa, an Israeli military drone targeted a vehicle "with two missiles" which caught fire, killing five men. At the scene of the strike a witness told AFP, "I live less than 50 metres (yards) from here. We came (after) the sound of an explosion and saw a vehicle on fire" on the road towards Zeita, to the north of Tulkarem. Watch | Israel-Hamas war: IDF announces that Deif was killed on July 13 × "Next to it, we saw a body lying on the road. Inside the vehicle, there were three charred bodies, from what we were able to see, completely burnt," added Nasser, who declined to have his last name published. The Israeli military quickly sealed off the area, Wafa reported. The Israeli military said it had carried out an airstrike against a militant cell around the West Bank city of Tulkarm. Hamas media said a vehicle carrying fighters had been struck and that one of the commanders of its Tulkarm brigades was killed. Alongside the Israel-Hamas war that began last October in the Gaza Strip, violence has intensified in the West Bank. Also read | Israel's Mossad hired Iranian agents to plant bomb in Hamas chief's guesthouse room: Report At least 594 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers in the West Bank since October 7, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures. At least 17 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed by Palestinian attacks in the West Bank over the same period, according to official Israeli figures. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Israeli drone strike in West Bank kills 5, including Hamas commander

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed on Sunday (July 14) the death of Rafa'a Salameh, the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade of Hamas, in a targeted airstrike in southern Gaza.

"Acting upon information from the Military Intelligence Directorate and the Shin Bet, fighter jets attacked in the Khan Younis area and killed Rafa’a Salameh, the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade of the Hamas terrorist organization," the IDF announced on X.

Salameh was known to be a close associate of Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas's military wing who Israel says is one of the masterminds behind the October 7 massacre in southern Israel and&nbsp;was also targeted in the airstrikes on Saturday.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-airstrike-targeting-hamas-military-leaders-kills-90-civilian-refugees-in-gaza-humanitarian-area-740722">Netanyahu uncertain if Hamas commander Dief was killed in Israeli airstrike that took 90 civilian lives</a>

The IDF claims Salameh was involved in attacks against Israel, including the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006 and the construction of extensive tunnel networks in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.&nbsp;

"Salameh’s death constitutes significant damage to the military capabilities of the Hamas terrorist organization," the IDF stated.

<h2>IDF strike that killed Rafa'a Salameh</h2>

The targeted strike took place near the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone and Khan Younis

Hamas sources cited by multiple media platforms confirmed Salameh's death but did not say much about Deif’s status.&nbsp;

A top Hamas official, meanwhile, told AFP on Sunday that Deif was "fine" and continued to oversee the group's armed wing despite the attack.

Also watch |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: Israel targets aimed at Hamas military chief hit tent housing in Khan Younis

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Israeli media reported mixed assessments of Deif's condition.&nbsp;

Kan News indicated that security officials believe Deif was wounded, while Ynet cited IDF intelligence suggesting that "dozens" of bodies were taken to Deir al-Balah’s Al Aqsa Hospital following the strike.

Mohammed Deif, aged 58, holds a significant position in Hamas as the head of its armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, and is second only to Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.&nbsp;

According to Israel, both men were key in the planning and execution of the October 7 attack that resulted in over a thousand Israeli casualties.&nbsp;

The strike marks a continued effort by Israel to dismantle the leadership of Hamas and curb its military capabilities.

IDF's Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said&nbsp;it was too early to determine whether Deif was killed in the airstrike in southern Gaza, but added that the Hamas terror group is attempting to hide the results of the attack, reported the Times of Israel.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed on Sunday (July 14) the death of Rafa'a Salameh, the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade of Hamas, in a targeted airstrike in southern Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed on Sunday (July 14) the death of Rafa'a Salameh, the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade of Hamas, in a targeted airstrike in southern Gaza. "Acting upon information from the Military Intelligence Directorate and the Shin Bet, fighter jets attacked in the Khan Younis area and killed Rafa’a Salameh, the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade of the Hamas terrorist organization," the IDF announced on X. Salameh was known to be a close associate of Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas's military wing who Israel says is one of the masterminds behind the October 7 massacre in southern Israel and was also targeted in the airstrikes on Saturday. Also read | Netanyahu uncertain if Hamas commander Dief was killed in Israeli airstrike that took 90 civilian lives The IDF claims Salameh was involved in attacks against Israel, including the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006 and the construction of extensive tunnel networks in the blockaded Palestinian enclave. "Salameh’s death constitutes significant damage to the military capabilities of the Hamas terrorist organization," the IDF stated. IDF strike that killed Rafa'a Salameh The targeted strike took place near the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone and Khan Younis Hamas sources cited by multiple media platforms confirmed Salameh's death but did not say much about Deif’s status. A top Hamas official, meanwhile, told AFP on Sunday that Deif was "fine" and continued to oversee the group's armed wing despite the attack. Also watch | Israel-Hamas war: Israel targets aimed at Hamas military chief hit tent housing in Khan Younis × Israeli media reported mixed assessments of Deif's condition. Kan News indicated that security officials believe Deif was wounded, while Ynet cited IDF intelligence suggesting that "dozens" of bodies were taken to Deir al-Balah’s Al Aqsa Hospital following the strike. Mohammed Deif, aged 58, holds a significant position in Hamas as the head of its armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, and is second only to Yahya Sinwar in Gaza. According to Israel, both men were key in the planning and execution of the October 7 attack that resulted in over a thousand Israeli casualties. The strike marks a continued effort by Israel to dismantle the leadership of Hamas and curb its military capabilities. IDF's Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said it was too early to determine whether Deif was killed in the airstrike in southern Gaza, but added that the Hamas terror group is attempting to hide the results of the attack, reported the Times of Israel. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Hamas commander Salameh killed in Israeli airstrike that took 90 lives, IDF claims

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Hamas chief who replaced Mohd Sinwar and helped plan Oct. 7 attacks killed, says Israel

Top Hamas commander, Raad Saad, killed in Gaza strike, says Israel

Israeli drone strike in West Bank kills 5, including Hamas commander

Hamas commander Salameh killed in Israeli airstrike that took 90 lives, IDF claims