Israel says it has eliminated the Hamas terror commander it holds responsible for orchestrating the October 7, 2023 massacre in Southern Israel, a pivotal figure in the bloodiest assault on the Jewish state in its modern history.
According to Breitbart, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that Izz al-Din al-Haddad, described as one of the principal planners of the October 7 atrocities, was killed in a precise strike in Gaza City on Friday evening. The operation, carried out in the heart of Hamas-controlled territory, targeted the man Israeli officials say helped unleash a wave of barbarism that left over 1,200 Israelis dead and hundreds more dragged into captivity.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told the Times of Israel that al-Haddad, head of Hamass armed terrorist wing, played a central role in the attacks that ignited the ongoing war in Gaza. This is a significant operational success by the IDF led by the Southern Command, the Intelligence Directorate, the Air Force and the Shin Bet, Lt. Gen. Zamir said.
Zamir stressed that al-Haddads name repeatedly surfaced in debriefings with Israelis who survived Hamas captivity, underscoring his centrality to the terror networks operations. In every conversation I held with the hostages who returned, the name of the arch-terrorist, Izz al-Din al-Haddad one of the main figures responsible for the October 7 massacre and the head of Hamass military wing came up again and again, he added.
The IDF chief said the strike represents both justice served and a warning to remaining Hamas operatives who continue to threaten Israeli civilians. Today, we succeeded in eliminating him. The IDF will continue to pursue our enemies, strike, and settle accounts with everyone who took part in the October 7 massacre, Zamir vowed.
Israeli commanders have ordered forces in the Southern Command to maintain high operational readiness amid concerns that the Iranian-backed Hamas network may attempt revenge attacks. For a region already on edge, the removal of such a senior terror figure could either deter further aggression or provoke desperate retaliation from a weakened but still dangerous enemy.
Jerusalem says al-Haddad rose to become Hamass top military commander in May 2025, following the killing of Mohammed Sinwar. Before that promotion, he allegedly led the Hamas Gaza City Brigade, during which time he directed the planning and execution of the October 7 massacre and the management of combat operations against IDF troops.
The IDF further stated that al-Haddad was deeply involved in the hostage enterprise that has horrified Israelis and much of the world. Throughout the war, Haddad was involved in the holding of many Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity. Haddad managed Hamass hostage captivity system and surrounded himself with hostages in an attempt to prevent his elimination, the IDF said.
Israeli officials also contend that al-Haddad played a key role in helping Hamass political leadership maintain its iron grip over the Gaza Strip. According to the Wall Street Journal, he had survived multiple previous assassination attempts and was the target of a $750,000 Israeli bounty tied to his role in producing detailed plans to subdue and capture Israeli soldiers.
The October 7 attacks saw roughly 3,000 armed Palestinian terrorists pour across the border into Southern Israel, assaulting more than 20 small communities, military installations, and a music festival in scenes of unrestrained savagery. Around 1,200 people were slaughtered and over 250 taken hostage, a trauma that continues to shape Israeli policy and stiffen resolve in President Donald Trumps second administration to back Israels right to defend itself against jihadist terror.
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