Israel Says It Killed Hamas Military Commander in Gaza Strike

Israeli forces carried out an airstrike on a residential building in Gaza City on Friday that killed the commander of Hamas military operations in the territory. The Israeli military stated on Saturday that the strike eliminated Ezz al-Din al-Haddad, describing the operation as precise and naming the target as one of the last senior commanders in Hamas' military wing.

Hamas officials confirmed the commander's death and reported that his wife and a daughter were also killed in the attack. Local medical personnel said Friday's operations across at least two separate incidents resulted in seven Palestinian deaths, including three women and a child.

Mourners gathered at Al Aqsa Martyrs Mosque in central Gaza on Saturday for a joint funeral service for the commander and his two family members. Photographs showed the body wrapped in a Hamas flag being carried from the ruins of the building.

The Israeli military said the commander had been involved in planning the October 7, 2023 attacks and in holding Israeli hostages during the war. Hamas described him as a central figure in coordinating combat operations and one of the greatest fighters in Palestinian history.

Israeli forces have intensified operations in Gaza in recent weeks after joint bombing campaigns with the United States in Iran concluded. Since the October ceasefire took effect, approximately 850 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations, while militants killed four Israeli soldiers.

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a post-war plan for the territory remain at an impasse after more than two years of conflict. The commander had assumed leadership of Hamas military operations in Gaza in May 2025 following the death of his predecessor in an Israeli strike.