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Hamas says military chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad died after Israel claimed targeted strike
International
Published on 16 May 2026
Mosques in Gaza reportedly announced him a martyr
A senior Hamas official told Reuters that Izz al-Din al-Haddad, head of the group’s military wing, has died after Israeli airstrikes, a day after Israel said it targeted him. In Gaza City, witnesses reported that mosques announced his “martyrdom,” though Hamas has not officially confirmed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz previously described Haddad as an architect of the October 7, 2023 attacks. The claim adds to tensions despite ongoing deadlocked indirect talks tied to a post-war plan for Gaza.
- Hamas-linked source told Reuters Haddad died after Israeli airstrikes
- Gaza witnesses said mosques announced his “martyrdom”
- Israel targeted Haddad the day before the Hamas claim
- Netanyahu and Katz called Haddad an architect of Oct 7 attacks
- Haddad became Gaza military chief after Sinwar’s killing in May 2025
- At least seven killed in separate Gaza strikes on Friday
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times