Hamas has reportedly appointed a longtime operative, nicknamed the “Ghost of al-Qassam,” to take command of its Gaza operations, following the targeted killings of the group’s last two leaders by Israel.
According to a Wall Street Journal report citing several informed sources, Ezzedin al-Haddad—who played a role in orchestrating the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks—was recently selected to head Hamas’s activities in Gaza.
He becomes the third commander in a span of just seven months, following the deaths of Yahya Sinwar, the architect behind the Oct. 7 massacre, and his brother Mohammed Sinwar, who briefly led the group after Yahya’s elimination.
At 55 years old, Haddad has previously been in charge of handling Israeli hostages and recruiting new members to Hamas’s military ranks.
His moniker as the “ghost” comes from his elusive behavior and ability to stay out of the public eye, according to the same sources.
Those sources also noted that Haddad has managed to escape several Israeli attempts on his life since the conflict reignited.
His rise to power comes on the heels of Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s confirmation of Mohammed Sinwar’s death in a recent airstrike.
The Israeli military revealed that Mohammed’s remains were discovered in a tunnel beneath a hospital in southern Gaza just earlier this week.
“Mohammad Sinwar was responsible for the deaths of countless civilians,” the IDF wrote on X.
“He died the way he lived — underground.”
Mohammed had effectively assumed leadership of Hamas following the death of his older brother, who was the central figure behind the October 7 atrocities and was killed during a standard IDF operation late last year.
Now, Ezzedin al-Haddad finds himself in Israel’s crosshairs, with a $750,000 reward on his head, according to statements by Defense Minister Yisroel Katz.
{Matzav.com}
May he become a real ghost soon…