Israel announced a strike on one of the leaders of the Hamas group (recognised as a terrorist group in the EU and the US) in the Gaza Strip – Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, whom Israel calls “one of the main organisers of the 7 October 2023 attack”.
According to Israeli authorities, the airstrike struck the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza on 15 May. The strike destroyed a residential building.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yisrael Katz said that “it was he who authorised the operation against al-Haddad”.
The Israeli government says he headed Hamas’ military wing in Gaza after the liquidation of Muhammad Sinwar in May 2025. He is also accused of involvement in kidnapping Israeli hostages and organising attacks on the Israeli military.
There has been no official confirmation of al-Haddad’s death yet. Hamas officials have not yet commented on his possible death.
Israeli media reported that the news of the strike caused a “positive reaction” among some of the former hostages, who, according to them, were under al-Haddad’s control during their captivity.
The situation in the Middle East escalated sharply on 7 October 2023. At that time, Hamas militants launched a massive attack on Israel. The militants launched a massive rocket attack on Israel, invaded its territory and committed the worst massacre of civilians in the history of the modern Israeli state, killing about 1,200 people. The militants also seized some 250 hostages and transported them to Gaza. Some of the hostages were exchanged or released, the rest were killed.
Israel responded by declaring war on Hamas. During the ground operation and bombardment of the Gaza Strip, some 170,000 people were injured (data from the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health).
In October 2025, Israeli authorities and “Hamas” agreed to a ceasefire under a peace plan drawn up by the administration of US President Donald Trump. The U.S., Turkey, Qatar and Egypt acted as guarantors for the implementation of the agreements. During the first phase, Hamas militants returned all living and dead Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
In mid-January, the White House announced the start of the second phase of Trump’s plan to end hostilities in the Gaza Strip. Under the plan, the second phase would establish a “Peace Council” and a National Committee reporting to it, which would take over the administration of the region until the Palestinian National Authority is ready to take over.