Hamas Leader’s Shocking New Face Revealed: Hiding in Fear
The IDF revealed a new photo of Hamas’s Gaza Brigade commander, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, showing his altered appearance to evade capture, highlighting his fear and the irony of his condition amid Gaza’s reported hardships. Col. Avichay Adraee criticized Haddad’s role in Gaza’s destruction and questioned his heroic image while living in hiding.
IDF Arabic Language Spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee revealed a striking new photograph of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the commander of Hamas’s Gaza Brigade, discovered in a tunnel beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis. The image, showing a dramatically altered appearance, suggests Haddad’s desperate attempt to evade detection. “The drastic change in his appearance, as shown in the photo, indicates only one thing: deep fear and a desire to disguise and disappear,” Adraee stated. He highlighted the irony of Haddad’s well-fed look amid Hamas’s claims of “famine” in Gaza, noting, “It seems that Haddad remained safe from it, far from the hunger and suffering endured by the Strip’s residents.”
Adraee described Haddad, 55, as the last surviving senior Hamas commander from the group’s pre-war leadership, who played a pivotal role in the October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. “Is it the shame of the devastation caused by Hamas-ISIS that drove him to alter his face and conceal his identity?” Adraee asked, pointing to Haddad’s contribution to Gaza’s destruction and the collapse of Iran’s regional axis, including Hezbollah and Houthi allies. He challenged Haddad’s public image, saying, “He tries to appear as a ‘hero’ in the eyes of the people, but what will the people of Gaza, from their tents and demolished homes, say when they see him hiding in tunnels, tainted by fear, and changing his identity? Can someone who destroys the Strip, flees from responsibility, and hides behind masks of cowardice be called a hero?”
The IDF’s release of the photo, coupled with leaflets dropped over Gaza, underscores Haddad’s status as a top target, nicknamed “the Ghost of Hamas” for surviving six assassination attempts. Social media posts on X amplified the IDF’s message, with one user stating, “Haddad’s disguise can’t hide his crimes.” Following October 2023 and the ongoing war with Hamas, Haddad’s evasion highlights rising tensions as he reportedly holds veto power over hostage negotiations.