politics
Hamas Selects New Al Qassam Brigades Leader After IDF Strike
Hamas named Mohammed Odeh to head its Al Qassam Brigades military wing. The appointment follows the May 15 death of prior leader Izz al Din al Haddad in an Israeli strike.
May 20, 1:39 PM·1m read1 source
rnz.co.nzAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Hamas has selected longstanding member Mohammed Odeh to lead the Al Qassam Brigades, the group's military wing. Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat first reported the change on May 18. The appointment came three days after the IDF killed previous Al Qassam chief Izz al Din al Haddad in a targeted strike in Gaza City on May 15.
Odeh previously directed Hamas intelligence operations during the October 7, 2023 attacks and has survived multiple Israeli assassination attempts.
The IDF recorded 19 ceasefire violations by Palestinian groups in Gaza between May 6 and May 20. Separate incidents included strikes on individuals who crossed the Yellow Line or approached Israeli forces. On May 13 the IDF confirmed it had killed Hamas commander Hamza Sharbatsi on May 6.
Additional operations on May 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 targeted suspected fighters and weapons sites in northern, central, and southern Gaza.
An IDF assessment reviewed by Israel's Channel 13 stated that Hamas is producing hundreds of improvised explosive devices and anti-tank rockets each month. The group is also reported to be smuggling weapons and collecting taxes of up to 30 percent on humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
On May 20 the IDF said it destroyed a weapons warehouse in central Gaza and eliminated a suspected fighter in northern Gaza who had crossed the Yellow Line.
