Hamas appoints new chief – who will hold veto on Gaza ceasefire deal

Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the commander of Hamas forces in Gaza City, reportedly appointed the new head of the terrorist group, after the previous chief Yahya Sinwar was killed last year and his successor, Mohammed Sinwar, was eliminated last month.

By World Israel News Staff

The Hamas terror organization has appointed a new chief of its forces in Gaza, weeks after its previous leader was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

A report by the UK daily, The Times, on Sunday claimed that Hamas has named Izz al-Din al-Haddad as its new Gaza chief, replacing Mohammed Sinwar.

Sinwar was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a fortified underground bunker located beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on May 13, the IDF confirmed late last month.

The assassination came seven months after his brother and predecessor, Yahya Sinwar, was killed by IDF troops in the city of Rafah. In addition to leading Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Yahya had orchestrated the October 7 invasion of Israel, and in the summer of 2024 was named chairman of the Hamas politburo, following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Immediately following Mohammed’s assassination, it was speculated that either Al-Haddad or Khalil al-Hayya, who replaced Yahya Sinwar as head of the Hamas politburo, would be tapped to lead the group in Gaza.

“Izz al-Din al-Haddad in Gaza and Khalil al-Hayya abroad, and all their partners in crime, you are next in line,” threatened Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz (Likud) last week.

The 55-year-old Al-Haddad served as commander of Hamas forces in Gaza City before he was appointed the terror group’s leader in the Gaza Strip.

A member of Hamas’ senior leadership since 2022, Al-Haddad was one of the few officials directly involved with Yahya Sinwar in the planning of the October 7 invasion.

Al-Haddad personally coordinated the initial attacks on Israel, issuing orders to unit commanders charged with leading the invasion. Following the initial infiltrations into Israeli territory, Al-Haddad directed Hamas attacks on the Nahal Oz kibbutz and neighboring military outpost, killing 61 soldiers and 15 civilians.

Citing intelligence sources, The Times report claimed that Al-Haddad has been given veto power over any potential ceasefire deal with Israel.

Hamas recently responded to the latest proposal put forward by White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff with a counter-offer, which Witkoff dismissed as “unacceptable.”

Witkoff had floated a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages and 18 dead hostages, with Israel releasing hundreds of jailed Arab terrorists – including 125 murderers – and over 1,000 terrorists captured during the current war.