Israel has killed Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the chief of Hamas's military wing, in a precise airstrike targeting a residential building in Gaza City on Friday. The Israeli military and Hamas officials confirmed the death on Saturday, which was also announced by mosques in Gaza City.
Israel described Al-Haddad as one of the last senior commanders and surviving architects who directed the planning and execution of the October 7, 2023, massacre. The attack killed Haddad along with seven other people, including his wife and daughter.
This killing represents the most senior Hamas official killed by Israel since an October U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement intended to halt fighting. However, the Israeli military has continued to strike military targets and Gaza since that ceasefire went into effect.
Israel has claimed responsibility for the assassination of several Hamas leaders, including former political chief Ismail Haniyeh. Since the October 2023 attacks, Israel's military campaign has killed at least 72,763 people in Gaza, the majority of whom are civilians, according to the territory's health ministry.