YONI BEN MENACHEM -- Israeli security officials have confirmed that Az a-Din al-Haddad, Hamas’s northern Gaza brigade commander, has taken over as head of the group’s military wing in the Gaza Strip.
He replaces Muhammad Sinwar, who was recently killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis based on Shin Bet and IDF intelligence.
Al-Haddad is reportedly in close contact with Hamas’s overseas leadership and is coordinating positions on both the war in Gaza and the stalled ceasefire proposal led by U.S. envoy Steve Wietkopf. Israel is actively pursuing him through intelligence and military means.
Defense Minister Israel Katz recently warned: “Az a-Din al-Haddad in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya abroad, and all their accomplices—you’re next. Israel’s long arm will reach every October 7 mastermind.”
Officials believe eliminating al-Haddad could accelerate Hamas’s military and civil collapse and help facilitate a hostage deal. Known as “Abu Zuhayb,” the 55-year-old has survived six Israeli assassination attempts and was key in rebuilding Hamas’s infrastructure during the brief ceasefire.
He currently controls Hamas’s intelligence operations in Gaza and holds veto power over Wietkopf’s ceasefire plan. While Hamas has officially agreed in principle, it proposed amendments that Israel rejected, calling them unacceptable and regressive.
Al-Haddad is now Israel’s number one target in Gaza. His influence was critical in shaping Hamas’s rejection of key parts of the ceasefire outline.
On October 7, he coordinated the initial invasion into southern Israel, including the assault on the Nahal Oz base where 60 soldiers and 15 civilians were killed. He once worked closely with Yahya Sinwar monitoring collaborators.
Security sources say al-Haddad is extremely cautious—changing locations frequently, avoiding phones, and trusting only a small circle. Israel has offered a $750,000 reward for information leading to him.
He’s under intense pressure as the last senior Hamas commander still operating inside Gaza. He must balance Hamas’s jihadist ideology with the reality of Israel’s military onslaught. If no deal is reached, he fears being remembered as the leader who presided over Gaza’s collapse.
Hamas insiders told The Times that al-Haddad holds the final say on a ceasefire.
He manages the fighting on the ground, while political talks are led by Muhammad Ismail Darwish, a senior Hamas figure who has never been to Gaza. Darwish stays hidden out of fear of an Israeli strike. Hamas leaders inside Gaza reportedly feel abandoned by the group’s foreign leadership.
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Yoni Ben Menachem, A NEWSRAEL Contributor, is a Middle East senior analyst ,a journalist and the former CEO of the Israel Broadcasting Authority(IBA). He has decades of experience in written and video journalism. Ben Menachem’s path in the media world began as a producer for Japanese television in the Middle East. After that, he held many key positions in the media: The CEO of the Israel Broadcasting Authority, director of “Kol Israel” Radio, reporter on West Bank and Gaza Strip affairs, political reporter and commentator, commentator on Middle East affairs and editor-in-chief and presenter of the program “Middle East Magazine”.