After Targeting Mohammed Al-Sinwar and Shabana… Who Is the Remaining Ghost of Al-Qassam?

18th May 2025

1 minute read

After Targeting Mohammed Al-Sinwar and Shabana... Who Is the Remaining Ghost of Al-Qassam?

As Israel suggested on Sunday that Mohammed Al-Sinwar had been killed, questions arose regarding who would lead the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated Sunday before the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee: “There is no official confirmation yet, but all indicators suggest that Mohammed Al-Sinwar has been eliminated.”

Who Will Succeed Al-Sinwar?

If Mohammed Al-Sinwar and Mohammed Shabana (Abu Anas), one of the main contenders to succeed him within al-Qassam, are both confirmed dead, Hamas’ military wing could be led by a figure known as “the Ghost.”

The name of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, also known as “Abu Soheib” or the “Ghost of al-Qassam,” has emerged in recent months as one of Israel’s most wanted figures, accused of orchestrating Hamas operations in northern Gaza.

What Do We Know About the “Ghost of al-Qassam”?

Al-Haddad is one of the top commanders of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

He served as the commander of the Gaza City Brigade and is a member of al-Qassam’s inner military council.

In November 2023, Israel announced a $750,000 reward for information leading to his capture or death.

Israel accuses him of responsibility for countless attacks and has attempted to assassinate him on more than four occasions.

His name is linked to the planning of the October 7, 2023, attack on the Israeli communities surrounding Gaza.

On January 17, his son Soheib was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the al-Tuffah neighborhood in northern Gaza.

Within the al-Qassam leadership structure, al-Haddad ranks fifth after Mohammed Deif, Marwan Issa, Ahmed al-Ghandour, and Ayman Noufel. Hamas has confirmed the deaths of these four commanders during the ongoing war.