Three days after the death of Hamas military chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the miltant group gas appointed Mohammed Odeh as his successor, according to Saudi Asharq Al-Awsat news outlet.
Al-Haddad was eliminated in a "precise strike" in northern Gaza on Friday, according to the IDF. His wife and daughter were also killed in the airstrike.
Who is Mohammed Odeh?
Mohammed Odeh was the head of military intelligence in al-Qassam Brigades of Hamaz during the October 7, 2023 attacks. Odeh was instrumental in gathering intelligence of IDF bases near the Gaza border ahead of the October 7 attacks.
Odeh was reportedly close to his predecessor Haddad, with whom he made efforts to "renew the organizational structure" of Hamas. They were looking to rebuild the capabilities of Hamas military wing.
Haddad, nicknamed "The Ghost", survived several Israeli assassination attempts before he was killed on Friday. He was one of the longest surviving Hamas commanders and was one of the "architects of the brutal October 7 massacre." He also allegedly planned multiple terror attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians amid the US-brokered ceasefire, according to IDF.
Before Haddad, Yahya Sinwar's brother Mohammed Sinwar was the Hamas chief. Mohammed Sinwar was killed in May 2025.
Two other Hamas operatives who attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, were also killed in similar airstrikes in the Gaza Strip recently. They were identified as Khamer Iyad Muhammad Al-Matouq and Khaled Muhammad Salem Jouda.
Abdel Rahman Mahmoud Jumaa Shafi, a member of Bureij battalion of Hamas, was another militant killed in central Gaza on May 13. IDF said he was behind several attacks on Israeli troops deployed in Gaza.
