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After Sinwar's death, who is Hamas's new military chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad?

With Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar dead, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, known as 'the Ghost of the al-Qassam Brigades', has risen to lead Hamas's military operations in Gaza. A veteran commander with decades in the ranks, he now oversees key decisions on hostages, warfare and ceasefire negotiations read more Izz al-Din al-Haddad is also known by his aliases 'Abu Suhaib' and 'the Ghost of the al-Qassam Brigades." Image/X With the confirmed death of Mohammed Sinwar and the earlier assassination of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas's military command structure has taken a significant hit. The man now emerging as the group's de facto military leader in Gaza is Izz al-Din al-Haddad, a seasoned commander with deep roots in armed and intelligence operations. Known by his aliases 'Abu Suhaib' and 'the Ghost of the al-Qassam Brigades', al-Haddad has not only evaded Israel's most intensive manhunts but is now believed to hold authority over hostages, military operations and key decisions regarding ceasefire negotiations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Who is Izz al-Din al-Haddad? Al-Haddad's rise through the Hamas hierarchy has spanned decades. His career began in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades as a company-level commander. From there, he took charge of a battalion and, over time, commanded a total of six battalions and a special forces unit. His ascent reached a new height following the Israeli killing of Bassem Issa in 2021. Al-Haddad was appointed commander of the Gaza Brigade, one of the most critical posts within the armed wing. In June 2024, he was reportedly designated as the overall commander for northern Gaza. Following the death of Yahya Sinwar, reporting by The Wall Street Journal indicated that al-Haddad assumed responsibility for two major regional commands and 14 battalions. He was, in effect, sharing command of the Gaza Strip with Mohammed Sinwar until the latter's confirmed elimination. This division of power marked the beginning of al-Haddad's consolidation of control over Hamas's military wing. Izz al-Din al-Haddad's role in the October 7 attacks The night before the attack, al-Haddad reportedly convened a secret meeting with senior commanders under his authority. During this meeting, he distributed a document that outlined the mission's core objectives: the mass abduction of Israeli soldiers to be transported into Gaza, real-time documentation of the assault and the capture of border-adjacent Israeli communities, reported Ynet news. His role in that day's events has been substantiated by multiple intelligence assessments. Among the operations under his command was the assault on the Nahal Oz military base, where more than 60 Israeli soldiers and 15 civilians were killed. Numerous others were taken hostage and transported into Gaza as part of the offensive's coordinated abduction plan. Al-Haddad later gave an interview on Al Jazeera's 'More Hidden Than Revealed', in which he defended Hamas's actions by claiming the group had discovered Israeli military plans for a major Gaza operation. 'Hamas launched the October 7 assault after allegedly uncovering information from Unit 8200 servers,' he said, asserting that the organisation breached an Israeli system and retrieved a document detailing an Israeli Defense Forces war plan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How al-Haddad has survived Al-Haddad has long been a target of the Israeli military. He has survived at least six assassination attempts, with attacks dating back to 2008. Israeli airstrikes targeting his residence were carried out in 2008, 2012, 2021 and 2023. Since the latest war began, three more targeted operations have attempted to eliminate him — including one where Israeli troops raided a location where he was believed to be hiding, only to find he had already fled. According to intelligence sources, al-Haddad is extremely guarded about his whereabouts and movements. He frequently shifts locations and maintains tight security protocols, relying on only a select few from his inner circle. This strategic caution has helped him remain elusive, even as Israel has placed a $750,000 bounty on information leading to his capture or death. His eldest son, Suhaib, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on January 17, 2025. The same strike also took the life of his grandson. In April 2025, his second son was also killed during an Israeli operation. How much sway does al-Haddad hold in Hamas Al-Haddad was also a senior figure in al-Majd, an internal counterintelligence unit established by Yahya Sinwar. This organisation was tasked with identifying and eliminating alleged collaborators with Israel. His work in al-Majd deepened his relationship with Sinwar and provided him with critical insight into Gaza's internal threat landscape. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reports indicate that the trust between al-Haddad and the Sinwar brothers was rooted in years of collaboration, both in intelligence operations and armed strategy. This alliance helped position him as a natural successor once senior Hamas figures began falling to Israeli attacks. Following the intense fighting that marked the early months of the war, there was a brief lull during which several Israeli hostages were released. In one such transfer, involving three hostages — including British-Israeli dual national Emily Damari — al-Haddad was reportedly involved in ensuring the handover process went smoothly. By this point, he had already begun overseeing both military and civilian aspects of Hamas's reconstruction efforts in Gaza. He is also reported to have held veto power over the latest ceasefire proposal mediated by US envoy Steve Witkoff, reported The Times. While Hamas said it accepted the deal 'in principle,' the group later — an amendment that Witkoff condemned as 'unacceptable' and a move that 'only takes us backward.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Al-Haddad's influence over such high-stakes decisions indicates that he now holds a decisive role not only in battlefield tactics but also in Hamas's strategic policymaking. His current standing makes him one of the few individuals capable of greenlighting or blocking a ceasefire agreement. While al-Haddad remains behind the scenes, public diplomacy has largely been delegated to others. Muhammad Ismail Darwish, once considered an obscure figure, has emerged as a key negotiator on Hamas's behalf. Darwish, who previously managed financial operations for the group, is now believed to have taken over many responsibilities from the former lead negotiator. The case of Muhammad Shabana Though al-Haddad is now seen as the primary commander in Gaza, another senior figure was briefly considered a potential successor: Muhammad Shabana, commander of the Rafah Brigade. Shabana took on his role during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, following the deaths of three Hamas leaders. He has overseen four battalions, including the elite Nukhba unit that played a frontline role in the October 7 attack. Shabana, like al-Haddad, has survived several Israeli assassination attempts. Reports suggest he was targeted during IDF ground operations in Rafah, and three of his sons lost their lives during the conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Speculation arose that Shabana might have died alongside Mohammed Sinwar in a tunnel strike. However, this has not been confirmed by either Israeli or Palestinian sources. In the absence of verified reports on Shabana's fate, al-Haddad's leadership appears uncontested for now. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies