With Hamas’ confirmation of the death of Mohammed al-Sinwar, the most senior field commander of its armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, only one prominent figure remains from the group of leaders who planned and oversaw the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel: Ezzedine al-Haddad, the commander of the Gaza City Brigade. He, too, is now at the top of Israel’s most wanted list.
Over the course of the war in Gaza, Israel has assassinated al-Qassam’s supreme commander Mohammed Deif, field commander Mohammed al-Sinwar, and Marwan Issa, Deif’s deputy.
At the brigade level, Israel has also killed Ahmed al-Ghandour, commander of the north; Ayman Nowfal, commander of the central brigade; Rafi Salama, commander of Khan Younis; and Mohammed Shabaneh, commander of Rafah. Together with al-Haddad, these men had formed al-Qassam’s small military council. Today, al-Haddad is regarded as the last surviving figure directly tied to October 7.
Israeli security analyst Avi Ashkenazi wrote in Maariv that al-Haddad now tops what he called Israel’s “October 7 revenge list.” Other Hamas leaders remain on Israel’s radar, but they are based outside Gaza.
Born in Gaza in 1970, al-Haddad - known by his nom de guerre Abu Sohaib - joined Hamas upon its founding in 1987 and immediately enlisted in the al-Qassam Brigades. He rose through the ranks from a rank-and-file fighter to unit commander, then battalion commander, and eventually became commander of the Gaza Brigade in 2021 after his predecessor Bassem Issa was assassinated.
In addition to his military role, al-Haddad once served in Hamas’ internal security agency, which hunts down alleged collaborators with Israel.
Israeli media have long referred to him as the “Ghost of al-Qassam” for repeatedly escaping targeted killings. Israel has attempted to assassinate him several times, bombing his home during past wars, and in November 2023 offered a $750,000 reward for information leading to him.
Earlier this year, Israeli strikes killed his eldest son, Sohaib, in Gaza City, and later another of his sons. Al-Haddad did not appear at their funerals.
Intelligence reports suggest al-Haddad played a central role in directing the October 7 attack alongside a handful of surviving commanders. Before that, he oversaw the development of the locally made “Yassin 105” rockets and pushed for mass production.
He briefly appeared in video recordings during a ceasefire in Gaza, declaring certain victory for the resistance, before vanishing again once the fighting resumed. In July, the Israeli military released images it claimed showed him in disguise. Within Hamas, supporters describe him as “the fox of the brigades.”
According to reports in the Wall Street Journal and Israeli outlets, al-Haddad is highly skilled in concealment, fluent in Hebrew, and adept at evading Israeli intelligence.
Israeli media, citing intelligence sources, reported that just hours before the October 7 assault, al-Haddad gathered his sub-commanders and handed them a printed statement on al-Qassam letterhead.
It read: “Believing in decisive victory, the brigade leadership has approved the launch of the great military operation al-Aqsa Flood. Trust in God, fight with courage, and act with a clear conscience.”
One Israeli hostage, later released, told reporters he had met al-Haddad five times in Gaza, even staying in the same apartment as him. According to the hostage, al-Haddad declared: “I am responsible for all the captives.”
The hostage also recounted that al-Haddad asked how the prisoners perceived their treatment. When told that some guards were kinder than others, al-Haddad replied: “That is life. There are good people, and there are bad people.”
After confirming al-Sinwar’s death in May, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued a warning to Hamas leaders both inside and outside Gaza: “Ezzedine al-Haddad in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya abroad, and all their partners in crime - you are next.”
