Gaza’s war-scarred labyrinth has a new face of command. His name is Ezzedin al-Haddad—and most people have never heard of him.After more than 600 days of war, and the deaths of both Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar, Hamas has quietly handed over its Gaza operations to a shadowy veteran commander known as The Ghost of al-Qassam. At 55, Ezzedin al-Haddad is no stranger to bloodshed, nor to survival. With a $750,000 Israeli bounty on his head and the weight of a crumbling militant empire on his shoulders, Haddad steps in as Hamas’s third Gaza chief in just seven months.
From the Caves to the Major
Haddad, a seasoned area commander and tactician, was important in the planning of the atrocious attacks that sparked the current conflict on October 7, 2023. He has also taken personal accountability for the Jewish hostages also held in Gaza, according to Arab and Jewish officials, and he has also kept photos of them on his cellphone and actually engaged immediately with some while they are still in captivity. However, he didn’t simply rise to the top in a contestably won vote. The top echelons of Hamas have been destroyed by the conflict. Just a few of the 18 senior numbers on the group’s military government are believed to still be alive today. Mohammed Sinwar, the younger brother of Haddad and the immediate father of the regime, was killed in May while an Israeli attack took place beneath Khan Younis’s German Hospital. Haddad persisted and took control.
A Spirit with a Memorable Traitor and a Hate
In contrast to the colorful Sinwar sons, Haddad is known for his quiet demeanor and gloomy demeanor. His moniker,” The Spirit of al-Qassam,” reflects a career marred by evasion and small visibility. He has survived many attempted assassinations by Israelis, but both of his children have died in the current conflict. Haddad was described as calm, cool, and Hebrew-speaking by a former prisoner who met him five times while he was in prison. Haddad also insisted that a book that a prisoner left behind be returned to him on occasion. However, the devil also has attitudes. He afterwards changed, making changes that occurred as a result of his son’s passing.
A Hamas that has been defeated but diminished
Israel maintains its position as Gaza’s main armed power despite claims that it killed up to 20 000 of Hamas ‘ 35 000 soldiers and destroyed the majority of its weapons stash. With thousands of young recruits trained with little more than pamphlets or crash courses in ambush strategies, it’s ranks have been replenished, at least numerically. Hamas currently controls about 25, 000 fighters, according to Israeli and Egyptian brains sources, many of whom are under- and under-equipped and poorly trained. The group’s monetary resources have also decreased. Hamas is after apparently struggling to pay its fighters because it is again flush with money from taxing aid and contraband contraband. Hamas reduced the share of aid that was diverted to its military wing from 25 % in the first half of 2024 to just 7 % by April, according to an internal document discovered by the Israeli military. Despite this, the organization’s underwater community, one of its most powerful strategic advantages, has not changed. According to Israeli military sources, Hamas ‘ tunnels still contain up to 75 % of its tunnels. And as new Jewish casualties demonstrate, the group is turning explosive weapons into improvised bombs able of ambushing also well-armed patrols.
A Talking Fighter Willing?
Haddad is apparently more rational than his predecessors despite his violent history. According to Egyptian intelligence officials, he allegedly pushed for the hostage-prisoner swap in January 2024 and urged more releases to bolster the ceasefire, which ultimately failed in March. He has also shown a hesitant stance when it comes to discussing the Hamas ‘ peace, something the Sinwar boys vehemently oppose. However, rationality has limitations. Haddad continues to say that no more hostages will be taken hostage without the complete withdrawal of Israel and the end of the conflict. According to officials, Hamas ‘ desires are driven by strategic calculation as well as ideology: it is Gaza’s only coherent armed authority, but it is also a bleeding force with soldiers, money, and territory.
What Will Follow Next?
By the end of July, Israel aims to control 75 % of Gaza. By isolating population centers and focusing on the leadership, Hamas ‘ existing strategy attempts to splinter the area. However, there is another chief for every killed chief. The team still has the capacity to hurt Israeli forces daily, despite the fact that it does then concentrate on improvised bombs rather than rockets. They don’t have tens of thousands of weapons, according to Miri Eisin, the former deputy head of Israeli fight intelligence. It’s only necessary to kill one man per day, according to Haddad. Whether he can or cannot change the course of the conflict. He is a military giant in a conflict that seems to be getting more and more philosophical, forged in caverns and blood, and tempered by reduction. The Ghost hasn’t yet vanished, though.
