Hebrew Media Highlights Targeting of Izz al-Din al-Haddad: 'The Most Wanted' in Gaza

The Israeli occupation's announcement of targeting Izz al-Din al-Haddad, described as the commander of Hamas's military wing, brought renewed attention to the figure Tel Aviv considers the actual driving force behind what remains of the military power in the Gaza Strip. This operation came at a sensitive time in the confrontation, as Israeli security circles are promoting their success in reaching the 'most prominent military mind' remaining after a series of assassinations that targeted the first line of the movement's leadership.

Hebrew reports stated that the Israeli army had placed a residential apartment in the western area of Gaza City under close surveillance for over ten days before deciding to execute the operation. The security establishment described this operation as a 'rare operational opportunity' that does not often repeat itself, given the security complexities and strict precautions al-Haddad took in his movements within densely populated areas.

Media sources reported that the attack was not limited to destroying the targeted apartment but also included a second raid that targeted a vehicle attempting to leave the vicinity immediately after the first explosion. According to initial published estimates, the operation resulted in the killing of four bodyguards who were accompanying al-Haddad in his hideout, in an Israeli attempt to ensure the complete elimination of his inner circle.

Military analysts in Tel Aviv focused on the pivotal role al-Haddad played in recent months, where he undertook the arduous task of rebuilding the leadership structure of the Al-Qassam Brigades. Reports indicated that al-Haddad succeeded in filling the void left by the absence of prominent leaders such as Mohammed Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, by adapting fighting methods to the changing field reality.

In additional details, Haaretz newspaper revealed that the political decision to carry out the assassination operation was made about a week and a half before its actual execution, awaiting the zero hour that would ensure the least amount of risk. The newspaper explained that Israeli intelligence had been closely monitoring al-Haddad's movements between various hideouts, claiming that he was taking complex security measures to avoid aerial detection.

For its part, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper described al-Haddad as having become 'the most wanted' in the Gaza Strip, noting his security and linguistic capabilities that enabled him to manage sensitive files. The newspaper claimed that his fluent command of Hebrew helped him deal directly with some files related to Israeli prisoners, making him a strategic target of utmost priority for the Mossad and Shin Bet.

Hebrew channels touched upon testimonies given by former Israeli female prisoners, who claimed to have met al-Haddad during their detention in the northern Strip. According to these claims, al-Haddad personally supervised the conditions of the detainees, which made the news of his targeting carry psychological dimensions for the Israeli public, described by some sources as 'closing the circle.'

On the political level, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant linked this operation to al-Haddad's political stance. The officials indicated that the targeted leader represented an obstacle to the implementation of international proposals related to disarming factions in Gaza, considering his elimination part of a strategy of 'pre-empting future threats.'

Observers believe that the occupation, by exaggerating the scale of the operation, is trying to send pressure messages to the popular base and the political level of the Hamas movement, coinciding with the stalled ceasefire negotiations. The extensive media coverage aims to demonstrate the ability to reach field leaders, no matter how hidden they are, in an attempt to undermine the morale of fighters in the field.

Channel 12 Hebrew also indicated that al-Haddad was not just a military commander but was also working on developing 'guerrilla warfare' tactics that exhausted Israeli forces in northern Gaza. It added that his absence might lead to temporary confusion in coordination among the remaining combat units, which the Israeli army seeks to exploit in its current ground operations.

In a related context, Maariv newspaper stated that the double attack carried out by the air force reflects a firm desire to ensure that no one inside the targeted site survived. It explained that the use of precision missiles in the heart of residential neighborhoods expresses the extent of intelligence information available to the joint operations rooms before the planes took off.

In conclusion, anticipation remains the order of the day, awaiting official confirmations from resistance factions regarding al-Haddad's fate, amidst the policy of obfuscation usually adopted by the movement regarding its leaders. Nevertheless, the consensus of Hebrew media on the importance of the figure reflects the extent of concern this commander posed to the Israeli security establishment throughout the raging war.

Al-Haddad was directly responsible for rebuilding the military command chain and adapting field tactics to the conditions of the ongoing war.