{"id":634,"date":"2026-05-16T13:40:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T13:40:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=634"},"modified":"2026-05-16T13:40:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T13:40:39","slug":"leader-of-hamass-armed-wing-killed-in-strike-on-gaza-says-israel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=634","title":{"rendered":"Leader of Hamas&#8217;s armed wing killed in strike on Gaza, says Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--banner-top o-ad-container--with-shimmer o-ad-container--with-background\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><br \/>\n                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-type=\"sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-status=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring__wrapper\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content t-content--article\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-sidebar\">\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">Leader of Hamas&#8217;s armed wing killed in strike on Gaza, says Israel<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                        The Israeli military said on Saturday that it had killed the head of Hamas&#8217;s military wing Ezzedine Al-Haddad during an air strike carried out the previous day in Gaza.\u00a0Haddad&#8217;s wife and daughter were also killed in the attack, according to a Hamas source.                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-05-16T12:23:10+00:00\">16\/05\/2026 &#8211; 14:23<\/time><\/span><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Modified: <time datetime=\"2026-05-16T13:21:02+00:00\">16\/05\/2026 &#8211; 15:21<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-reading-time\">\n    <span class=\"a-reading-time__icon\" title=\"Reading time\"><\/p>\n<p>    <\/span><br \/>\n    3 min    <span class=\"u-sr-only\">Reading time<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/france-24\/\" title=\"FRANCE 24\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                FRANCE 24<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__main-media\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1a06b67c-5127-11f1-a921-005056a90284\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26136401121251.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1a06b67c-5127-11f1-a921-005056a90284\/w:388\/p:16x9\/AP26136401121251.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1a06b67c-5127-11f1-a921-005056a90284\/w:720\/p:16x9\/AP26136401121251.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1a06b67c-5127-11f1-a921-005056a90284\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26136401121251.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"Palestinians attend the funeral of Ezzedine Al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas' Qassam Brigades, and his daughter and wife in Gaza City, Saturday, May 16, 2026. \" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                <span>Palestinians attend the funeral of Ezzedine Al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas&#8217; Qassam Brigades, and his daughter and wife in Gaza City on May 16, 2026. <\/span>                <span>\u00a9 Abdel Kareem Hana, AP<\/span>            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Israel<\/a> said Saturday it had killed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/hamas\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Hamas<\/a>&#8216;s armed wing chief Ezzedine Al-Haddad in an air strike in Gaza the previous day, describing him as a key architect of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20241007-hamas-terrorist-attacks-7-october-deadliest-day-israel-history-anniversary\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">October 7 attacks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Since Hamas&#8217;s October 7, 2023 cross-border assault, the Israeli military and intelligence services have waged a campaign <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/live-news\/20250831-israel-says-killed-spokesman-for-hamas-armed-wing\" target=\"_self\">targeting the group&#8217;s senior political leaders<\/a> and militant commanders in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/gaza-strip\/\" target=\"_self\">Gaza<\/a> and across the region.<\/p>\n<p>The military said Friday it had carried out an air strike in Gaza targeting Haddad, before confirming his death on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The IDF and the ISA announce that yesterday, in a precise strike in the area of the City of Gaza, the terrorist Ezzedine Al-Haddad was eliminated,&#8221; the military said, referring to itself and the Shin Bet domestic security agency.<\/p>\n<p>Two Hamas officials also told AFP that Haddad had been killed in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/israel-strikes-kill-several-in-lebanon-despite-truce\" target=\"_self\">Israeli strike<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Senior commander &#8230; Ezzedine Al-Haddad was assassinated in an Israeli strike targeting a residential apartment and a civilian vehicle in Gaza City yesterday,&#8221; one senior Hamas official said.<\/p>\n<p>A member of Hamas&#8217;s armed wing separately confirmed his death.<\/p>\n<p>Haddad was killed along with his wife and a daughter, according to another Hamas source.<\/p>\n<div class=\"em-video-wrapper m-em-video\" data-media-video-wbmz548184-f24-en-20260516 data-wrapper-video-player data-show-hidden-video-player=\"WBMZ548184-F24-EN-20260516\" data-youtube-script>\n<div class=\"m-em-video__title\">Gaza: expanding Israeli military zone fuels fears of long-term control<\/div>\n<div class=\"m-em-video__video\">\n<div class=\"o-em-consent \">\n<div class=\"o-em-consent__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-consent__content__text\">To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.<\/p>\n<p>        <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"accept\"><br \/>\n            Accept<\/p>\n<p>        <\/button><br \/>\n        <button class=\"a-link\" data-action=\"manage\">Manage my choices<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock\" data-adblock-content>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-adblock__content__text\">One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.<\/p>\n<p>            <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"reload\">Try again<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-hidden-video-player=\"WBMZ548184-F24-EN-20260516\">\n<div class=\"m-em-video\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1ec921d4-4472-11f1-a71a-005056a97e36\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/EN-20260430-091205-091350-CS.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1ec921d4-4472-11f1-a71a-005056a97e36\/w:388\/p:16x9\/EN-20260430-091205-091350-CS.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1ec921d4-4472-11f1-a71a-005056a97e36\/w:720\/p:16x9\/EN-20260430-091205-091350-CS.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1ec921d4-4472-11f1-a71a-005056a97e36\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/EN-20260430-091205-091350-CS.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) calc(100vw - 32px), (max-width: 1076px) calc(100vw - 44px), 850px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"Gaza: expanding Israeli military zone fuels fears of long-term control\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                                <span>\u00a9 France 24<\/span>            <\/figcaption><div class=\"m-item-image__overlay-wrapper\">\n                <button class=\"m-main-media-btn\" aria-label=\"Gaza: expanding Israeli military zone fuels fears of long-term control: Play the video\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"m-main-media-btn__picto\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-circle-loader\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><br \/>\n<time class=\"a-media-time\">01:45<\/time>                <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>AFP photographs showed mourners carrying Haddad&#8217;s body, wrapped in a Hamas flag, on a stretcher from the ruins of a building.<\/p>\n<p>It was later taken to a mosque where relatives and mourners offered prayers before carrying it through the streets for burial.<\/p>\n<p>The military said Haddad was &#8220;one of the last senior commanders in Hamas&#8217;s military wing who directed the planning and execution of the October 7th massacre&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Haddad was also involved in holding Israeli hostages during the war, it added.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Haddad managed Hamas&#8217;s hostage captivity system and surrounded himself with hostages in an attempt to prevent his elimination,&#8221; it said.<\/p>\n<p>Israel&#8217;s military chief Lieutenant Colonel Eyal Zamir called the killing a &#8220;significant operational achievement&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In every conversation I held with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/hostages\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">hostages<\/a> who returned, the name of the arch-terrorist Ezzedine Al-Haddad &#8230; came up again and again,&#8221; Zamir said, in a separate statement.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Today, we succeeded in eliminating him. The IDF will continue to pursue our enemies, strike them, and hold accountable everyone who took part in the October 7th massacre.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"em-video-wrapper m-em-video\" data-media-video-wbmz521668-f24-en-20260220 data-wrapper-video-player data-show-hidden-video-player=\"WBMZ521668-F24-EN-20260220\" data-youtube-script>\n<div class=\"m-em-video__video\">\n<div class=\"o-em-consent \">\n<div class=\"o-em-consent__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-consent__content__text\">To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.<\/p>\n<p>        <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"accept\"><br \/>\n            Accept<\/p>\n<p>        <\/button><br \/>\n        <button class=\"a-link\" data-action=\"manage\">Manage my choices<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock\" data-adblock-content>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-adblock__content__text\">One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.<\/p>\n<p>            <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"reload\">Try again<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-hidden-video-player=\"WBMZ521668-F24-EN-20260220\">\n<div class=\"m-em-video\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/d27b6bd4-bfbf-11f0-85a8-005056a97e36\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/gaza-hamas-1-1.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/d27b6bd4-bfbf-11f0-85a8-005056a97e36\/w:388\/p:16x9\/gaza-hamas-1-1.png 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/d27b6bd4-bfbf-11f0-85a8-005056a97e36\/w:720\/p:16x9\/gaza-hamas-1-1.png 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/d27b6bd4-bfbf-11f0-85a8-005056a97e36\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/gaza-hamas-1-1.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) calc(100vw - 32px), (max-width: 1076px) calc(100vw - 44px), 850px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"There are at least seven factions and clans challenging Hamas\u2019s authority in Gaza, each holding sway over a small patch of territory.\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                <span>There are at least seven factions and clans challenging Hamas\u2019s authority in Gaza, each holding sway over a small patch of territory.<\/span>                <span>\u00a9 Observers \/ Upian<\/span>            <\/figcaption><div class=\"m-item-image__overlay-wrapper\">\n                <button class=\"m-main-media-btn\" aria-label=\"Play the video\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"m-main-media-btn__picto\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-circle-loader\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button>\n                <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Over the course of the war, Israel has claimed responsibility for the assassinations of several Hamas leaders, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/yahya-sinwar\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Yahya Sinwar<\/a>, widely regarded as a mastermind of the October 7 attack.<\/p>\n<p>It also killed Mohammed Deif, the longtime commander of Hamas&#8217;s armed wing and another key architect of the attack.<\/p>\n<p>Israeli strikes have also targeted Hamas operatives in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/lebanon\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Lebanon<\/a>, as well as senior Hezbollah commanders allied with the group, including former Hezbollah chief <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/hassan-nasrallah\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Hassan Nasrallah<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Born in 1970, Haddad assumed command of the armed wing in May last year following the killing of his immediate predecessor, also in an Israeli strike, according to a Hamas source.<\/p>\n<p>He had previously survived six assassination attempts by Israel, the source told AFP.<\/p>\n<p>He was also a founder of Hamas&#8217;s security service and oversaw prisoner exchanges, including those conducted under the ceasefire reached in October last year.<\/p>\n<p>Militants from Hamas&#8217;s armed wing led the October 7 attack, which according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures left 1,221 people dead on Israeli side.<\/p>\n<p>Militants also abducted 251 hostages to Gaza.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260206-no-food-no-shelter-no-money-daily-fight-for-survival-gaza\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">No food, no shelter, no money: the daily fight for survival in Gaza<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Israel&#8217;s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 72,700 people, according to the territory&#8217;s health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority.<\/p>\n<p>The figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.<\/p>\n<p>Despite an October <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/ceasefire\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">ceasefire<\/a>, Gaza remains gripped by daily violence as Israeli strikes continue, with both the military and Hamas accusing one another of violating the truce.<\/p>\n<p>At least 856 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began, according to the territory&#8217;s health ministry.<\/p>\n<p>Over the same period, the Israeli military said five soldiers have been killed in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p><em>(FRANCE 24 with AFP)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><br \/>\n                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/middle-east\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Middle East\">    Middle East<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Israel\">    Israel<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/israeli-palestinian-conflict\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Israeli-Palestinian conflict\">    Israeli-Palestinian conflict<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/gaza-strip\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Gaza Strip\">    Gaza Strip<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/war-in-gaza\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"War in Gaza\">    War in Gaza<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/hamas\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Hamas\">    Hamas<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertising Leader of Hamas&#8217;s armed wing killed in strike on Gaza, says Israel Middle 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