As the IDF intensified “Operation Gideon’s Chariots II” on Tuesday, Ezz el-Din al-Haddad, Hamas’s current military commander, is reportedly holed up underground in Gaza City along with thousands of other terrorists.
At the start of the war, al-Haddad commanded the Gaza City Brigade, overseeing six battalions—roughly 6,000 fighters—and was part of the decision-making circle behind the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre.
Since the targeted killing of Hamas military leader Mohammed Sinwar in May, al-Haddad is now considered the head of Hamas’s military wing. At his side are Ra’ed Sa’ad and Mohammed Awda, heads of the terrorist group’s production and intelligence units. Al-Haddad is said to be responsible for key decisions regarding both the war and the hostage situation.
Al-Haddad has reportedly survived six assassination attempts, three of them during the current conflict. Palestinian sources say two of his sons, also involved in terror activities, were killed in the war.
In a January interview with Arab media, al-Haddad addressed whether Iran and Hezbollah had prior knowledge of the Oct. 7 attacks.
“Given the large scale and anticipated consequences of the attack, the brothers in the axis of resistance were updated on the general picture. But we kept the timing of the zero hour to the narrowest possible circle to ensure the attack’s success,” he said.
At least four battalion commanders under al-Haddad have been eliminated. Following the death of Ahmed Ghandour, commander of the northern Gaza Strip brigade, the entire region fell under al-Haddad’s control. With the earlier targeted assassinations of top Hamas figures—including Mohammed Deif, Marwan Issa and Sinwar—many more thousands of fighters now operate under his authority.
The Wall Street Journal reported that one of the freed Israeli hostages encountered al-Haddad five times in captivity, sometimes sharing a safe house with him. In their first meeting in March 2024, al-Haddad reportedly sat on the floor beside two hostages and greeted them in Hebrew. He later showed them photos of other hostages, asserting his role as the person in charge of all captives in Gaza.
Last week, the Saudi-owned, London-based Asharq Al-Awsat news site reported that al-Haddad had ordered his fighters not to leave Gaza City and to prepare for “a fierce battle that could last for months.”
According to the internal message sent to the brigade’s field commanders and active members and seen by the outlet, al-Haddad wrote that he would be “the first fighter” and would be at the “front lines” during the battle.
In the letter, he warned that all available forces and capabilities would be mobilized to deliver “severe blows” to Israeli forces, stressing the need for fighters to remain in Gaza City.
According to the report, Hamas is coordinating with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terror factions. A similar letter to that of al-Haddad’s was reportedly sent by Hamas’s Northern Brigade commander, Mohammed Oudeh, urging Al-Qassam members who are residents of northern Gaza, as well as those displaced in Gaza City, to join the fight.
This is a version of an article originally published by Israel Hayom.
