Izz al-Din al-Haddad

Izz al-Din al-Haddad, also known as Abu Suhaib, was the commander of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and a member of the organization’s senior military council. During the October 7 attack, he served as commander of the Gaza Brigade and directed the attack on communities in the Gaza border area, as well as the abduction of soldiers and civilians. He joined Hamas in 1987 and gradually advanced through the ranks until becoming commander of the Gaza City Brigade. Over the years, he commanded units within the organization during major rounds of fighting in the Gaza Strip, including Operation Cast Lead, Operation Pillar of Defense, and Operation Guardian of the Walls, and was considered one of the senior figures in the organization’s military structure. He survived several Israeli assassination attempts, and several members of his family, including two of his sons, were killed during the fighting. Following the killing of senior Hamas figures, including Mohammed Deif and Mohammed Sinwar, he assumed the organization’s operational leadership.