DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel launched airstrikes Friday targeting Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the commander of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades, in a pair of attacks that struck a residential building and a vehicle in Gaza City. Seven people were killed and dozens wounded, according to Palestinian health officials. It remained unclear whether al-Haddad was killed or injured in the strike.
The attack was the latest salvo in an Israeli campaign to neutralize senior Hamas figures despite a ceasefire that has largely failed to halt near-daily military operations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that al-Haddad was “one of the architects” of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, which killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.
“Sooner or later, Israel will reach you,” the statement added. Hamas did not immediately comment on the strike.
Friday’s airstrikes drew a familiar pattern: Israeli officials said they had targeted a high-value militant, while Palestinian witnesses and health authorities reported civilian casualties. The airstrike on al-Haddad came just weeks