{"id":467713,"date":"2026-05-30T12:22:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-30T12:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/467713\/"},"modified":"2026-05-30T12:22:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T12:22:18","slug":"muhammad-odeh-new-head-of-the-hamas-military-terrorist-wing-eliminated-in-the-gaza-strip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/467713\/","title":{"rendered":"Muhammad Odeh, New Head of the Hamas Military-Terrorist Wing, Eliminated in the Gaza Strip"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DeathDeath notice for Odeh. “And the knight descended [from his horse]” (al-Sayyad Telegram channel, May 27, 2026)\"TheThe funeral held for Odeh and his family members (Shehab Agency, May 27, 2026)\"OdehOdeh with former head of the military wing Muhammad Deif (eliminated in July 2024), former military wing spokesman Abu Obeida (eliminated in August 2025) and Khan Yunis Brigade commander Rafa Salama (eliminated in July 2024) (IDF spokesperson, May 27, 2026)\"Odeh'sOdeh’s ID card.\"OdehOdeh (left) with Muhammad al-Sinwar, head of the military wing who was eliminated in May 2025, driving in a tunnel near the Erez crossing when Odeh commanded the northern brigade. (al-Sayyad Telegram channel, May 27, 2026)\"OdehOdeh (left) in his youth, seated beside Ayman Siyam (commander of the rocket array who was eliminated in November 2023) and Ibrahim Sahib (who commanded the central Jabalia Battalion and the nukhba terrorists in the October 7 attack) (al-Sayyad Telegram channel, May 27, 2026)Overview[1]<\/p>\n

On May 26, 2026, the Israeli security forces eliminated Muhammad Odeh in a strike on an apartment in Gaza City. Odeh headed Hamas\u2019 military wing for approximately two weeks following the elimination of his predecessor, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, and was one of the planners of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack and massacre in his capacity as head of military intelligence for the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
\nHamas and its military wing confirmed the death of the \u201cgreat commander\u201d who headed the general staff, noting his many years of activity within the al-Qassam Brigades which culminated in the invasion into Israeli territory. They claimed his death would serve as an incentive for continuing the \u201cresistance.\u201d[2]
\nOdeh, considered one of Hamas\u2019 more secretive figures, held various positions in the military wing, including command of the Northern Brigade, and was considered a key figure in developing the movement\u2019s intelligence capabilities. During the preparations for the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre, he led monitoring the weaknesses of the IDF Gaza Division.
\nIt is still unclear who will be appointed to replace him, but a prominent candidate is the commander of the Beit Hanoun Battalion, Hussein Fayyad, reportedly Odeh\u2019s deputy.
\nIn Amit Institute assessment, the deaths Izz al-Din al-Haddad and Muhammad Odeh (within two weeks) will pose a significant challenge for the Hamas military leadership, both because of the need for personal survival, given Israel\u2019s intelligence penetration, and because of the elimination of the last senior commanders from the founding generation who orchestrated the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre. The new commander will also face difficult decisions regarding Hamas\u2019 future, primarily the effort to rebuild the capabilities of the military wing in the face of the growing demand for Hamas to disarm and relinquish power.<\/p>\n

Official Announcements of Odeh\u2019s Elimination<\/p>\n

On the evening of May 26, 2026, the eve of Eid al-Adha, Israel carried out a series of airstrikes targeting a residential building near al-Kanz Mosque in the al-Rimal neighborhood in western Gaza City. According to a report from al-Shifa Hospital, six people were killed and several were wounded (Shehab Agency, May 26-27, 2026). Shortly thereafter Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the strike had targeted Muhammad Odeh, head of Hamas military intelligence during the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre and who was appointed the new commander of Hamas\u2019 military wing following the elimination of Izz al-Din al-Haddad on May 15, 2026 (Israeli media, May 26, 2026).[3]
\nDuring the night family members confirmed Odeh\u2019s death (Facebook page of Abu Izz al-Din Odeh and Reuters, May 26-27, 2026), and Hamas media channels reported his death before the movement\u2019s official announcement. The Telegram channel of the ministry of the interior\u2019s Sahm Unit announced the death of the \u201cgreat commander,\u201d Muhammad Odeh, aka Abu Ammar, a member of the general staff of the al-Qassam Brigades (al-Sayyad channel, May 27, 2026). Hamas\u2019 al-Risalah called him \u201cone of the most well-known figures in national and resistance circles in Gaza City,\u201d adding that for years his name had been associated with field work and \u201cresistance\u201d (al-Risalah, May 27, 2026).<\/p>\n

\"Death
Death notice for Odeh. \u201cAnd the knight descended [from his horse]\u201d
(al-Sayyad Telegram channel, May 27, 2026)<\/p>\n

At noon on May 27, 2026, a funeral was held for Odeh and his family members, attended by thousands but without the obvious presence of armed operatives. The cort\u00e8ge left from al-Nour Mosque, participants carrying pictures of Odeh and Hamas flags, and chanting slogans against Israel and in support of Hamas and the \u201cresistance\u201d (Shehab Agency, May 27, 2026).<\/p>\n

\"The\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \"The
The funeral held for Odeh and his family members (Shehab Agency, May 27, 2026)<\/p>\n

According to the Israeli announcement, Muhammad Odeh had been head of the Hamas military wing for approximately two weeks following the elimination of Izz al-Din Haddad and had been head of the intelligence staff in recent years. Odeh had been responsible for choosing the targets of the Hamas attack and massacre on October 7, 2023 attack, and throughout the war had directed numerous attacks and led the effort to collect and analyze intelligence for terrorist operations targeting IDF forces and Israeli civilians. He was among the last senior commanders in Hamas\u2019 military wing who commanded the October 7 attack and massacre and managed the fighting, and his death was a significant blow to Hamas\u2019 attempts at rehabilitation. In addition, several buildings in the heart of Gaza City which served as Odeh\u2019s hiding places were attacked, and a nearby apartment belonging to a Hamas terrorist who participated in the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre and who was one of Odeh\u2019s circle of assistants was attacked (IDF spokesperson and Israeli Security Agency spokesperson, May 27, 2026). Reportedly, approximately 20 minutes after the strike on Odeh\u2019s apartment, a helicopter attacked an apartment hundreds of meters away, wounding several, including a field commander in military intelligence who was critically wounded (al-Sharq al-Awsat, May 26, 2026).<\/p>\n

\"Odeh\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\"Odeh's
Right: Odeh\u2019s ID card. Left: Odeh with former head of the military wing Muhammad Deif (eliminated in July 2024), former military wing spokesman Abu Obeida (eliminated in August 2025) and Khan Yunis Brigade commander Rafa Salama (eliminated in July 2024) (IDF spokesperson, May 27, 2026)<\/p>\n

After the funeral, Hamas formally announced that the \u201cgreat heroic al-Qassam commander shaheed,\u201d Muhammad Odeh (Abu Ammar), had been killed with his wife and two of his sons in a \u201cZionist bombardment\u201d on a residential building in Gaza, \u201ca desperate attempt to undermine the steadfastness and will of our people and of their resistance, violating divine commandments.\u201d He died a shaheed after a \u201cjihad journey of sacrifice, patience and determination,\u201d was part of the first generation of the founders of the jihad and military activity and left \u201ca mark on all the stages and milestones [of jihad] leading to Operation al-Aqsa Flood,\u201d \u201cin silence, far from media exposure.\u201d It was further stated that Odeh \u201cwas positioned at the forefront of preparedness, construction and planning,\u201d had been targeted in numerous elimination attempts until \u201cthe divine choice arrived\u201d and left behind \u201ca wonderful legacy, an influential milestone and a noble example.\u201d Hamas again pledged that the blood of Odeh and his family members, and of all the shaheeds, had not been shed in vain and would be \u201cfuel that will ignite the strength and determination of our people to continue the path of struggle and steadfastness\u201d[4] (Hamas Telegram channel, May 27, 2026). Hamas did not say that Odeh headed the military wing, unlike the announcement after the elimination of al-Haddad.
\nLater, Hamas\u2019 military wing issued a formal statement regarding the death of the \u201cgreat commander shaheed,\u201d Muhammad Ali Odeh, aka Abu Ammar, head of the general staff of the al-Qassam Brigades, who had been \u201cassassinated.\u201d The Brigades called it \u201ca new crime by the promise-breakers, who relate to the faithful [Muslim] only if he is a target.\u201d Hamas added that Allah had chosen a \u201cwonderful ending\u201d for \u201cour brave commander\u201d who was killed on the eve of Eid al-Adha and thus with his family joined his shaheed son Ammar. Odeh \u201cleft a mark in all the fields of jihad and resistance, from the battlefield to the military production workshops, from leading the Northern Brigade to commanding the weapon and combat services branch, and commanding the military intelligence that played a significant role in the success of the crossing [sic] on October 7, up to his appointment to command the general staff of the al-Qassam Brigades.\u201d Hamas added that the blood of the commanders \u201cwill only increase our\u00a0determination to continue on the path of resistance\u201d (Hamas Telegram channel, May 27, 2026).<\/p>\n

\"Izz
Izz al-Din Brigades death notice for Odeh\u2019s (Hamas Telegram channel, May 27, 2026)<\/p>\n

Sources said Odeh, who lived in the Jabalia refugee camp, joined Hamas when the movement was established during the first intifada in 1987 and was a member of Yahya al-Sinwar\u2019s al-Majd, which identified, interrogated and executed suspected Palestinian \u201ccollaborators.\u201d He was among the first to join Hamas\u2019 military wing during the second intifada and was close to Nizar Rayan, one of the heads of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades who was eliminated in 2009. He commanded a battalion in the Jabalia refugee camp and dealt with \u201cmilitary production\u201d before acting as commander of the northern brigade between 2017 and 2019. According to sources in Hamas, he had a \u201cdisciplinary role\u201d in developing the Hamas intelligence wing and preferred to engage in that rather than in operational field activity, and therefore did not have bodyguards or drivers. Under his command, military intelligence examined the weaknesses of the IDF Gaza Division ahead of the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre and the information was transferred on a regular basis to the leadership of Hamas\u2019 military council. The sources further noted that Odeh was close to Izz al-Din al-Haddad and they worked together on rebuilding the organizational structure (al-Sharq al-Awsat, May 26, 2026). After the elimination of al-Haddad, sources in Hamas in the Gaza Strip reported that Odeh had been appointed to the position of commander, having previously declined it when it was offered to him following the elimination\u00a0of Muhammad al-Sinwar in May 2025 (al-Sharq al-Awsat, May 18, 2026).<\/p>\n

\"Odeh\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \"Odeh
Right: Odeh (left) with Muhammad al-Sinwar, head of the military wing who was eliminated in May 2025, driving in a tunnel near the Erez crossing when Odeh commanded the northern brigade. Left: Odeh (left) in his youth, seated beside Ayman Siyam (commander of the rocket array who was eliminated in November 2023) and Ibrahim Sahib (who commanded the central Jabalia Battalion and the nukhba terrorists in the October 7 attack) (al-Sayyad Telegram channel, May 27, 2026)<\/p>\n

The identity of the new commander of Hamas\u2019 military wing is still unknown. Imad Aqel, commander of the home front of the al-Qassam Brigades, is the last surviving member of the command staff of the October 7, 2023 military wing, however he was not involved in planning or supervising the attack and massacre (al-Sharq al-Awsat, May 26, 2026). A prominent candidate is Hussein Fayyad (Abu Hamza), commander of the Beit Hanoun Battalion, who was reportedly appointed deputy head of the military wing under Odeh (AshAndIntel X account, May 2026). In May 2024, the IDF announced that Fayyad, who was responsible for anti-tank missile and mortar fire at Israeli territory, had been eliminated in a strike in the Jabalia refugee camp, however in January 2025 the IDF spokesperson admitted that the information was mistaken after Fayyad appeared publicly after the ceasefire went into effect (IDF spokesperson, May 23, 2024 and January 22, 2025).<\/p>\n

\"Hussein
Hussein Fayyad (Mumen Miqdad X account, July 31, 2025)<\/p>\n

Condolence statements also arrived from additional organizations within the framework of the \u201cresistance axis:\u201d<\/p>\n

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) issued a death notice for \u201cour mujahid brother,\u201d the great commander of the al-Qassam Brigades, Muhammad Odeh, who was \u201cassassinated by the army of the Zionist entity.\u201d The PIJ declared that \u201cthe continuing acts war carried out by Zionist entity\u2019s government\u201d contradicted their commitments to the mediators of the ceasefire. The PIJ also said the blood of the dead will not have been shed in vain and would only strengthen the determination to continue the \u201cresistance\u201d as \u201cthe only means to deter the occupation\u201d (Telegram channel of the PIJ\u2019s information office, May 27, 2026).
\nThe Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said it mourned the death of the \u201cgreat commander and resistance fighter,\u201d Muhammad Ali Odeh, who was killed with his family in a \u201cmassacre carried out by the Zionist occupation.\u201d The PFLP praised the \u201cexceptional contribution\u201d of the commander \u201cwho preferred to work quietly in the shadows for decades, wrote with his blood and with the sacrifices of his family the highest meaning of redemption and sacrifice.\u201d Odeh\u2019s activity on the battlefield, in developing an \u201cindustrial military reservoir\u201d and the \u201cexceptional leadership\u201d of the military intelligence wing, which \u201cbrilliantly contributed to shaping the dawn of the glorious October 7 saga [sic],\u201d were also mentioned. According to the statement, the \u201cresistance forces\u201d would only increase their determination to continue the \u201cresistance\u201d and that the blood of Odeh and the dead would \u201cpursue the Zionist enemy and hasten its disappearance\u201d (PFLP Telegram channel, May 27, 2026).<\/p>\n

\"PFLP
PFLP death notice for Odeh (PFLP Telegram channel, May 27, 2026)<\/p>\n

The political bureau of the Houthis in Yemen issued a death notice with feelings of \u201cgreat sorrow and pride\u201d for Hamas, all the Palestinian \u201cresistance\u201d organizations, all the Palestinians and the Islamic nation on the death of the \u201cgreat commander\u201d Odeh, and raised the banner of \u201cthe marks he left in the jihad and military activity for three decades.\u201d The statement called the attack on Odeh \u201canother in the series of continuing crimes committed by the Zionist enemy\u201d against the Palestinian people since the ceasefire, adding that attacks on the jihad commanders \u201creflects the moral and ethical bankruptcy and the enormous failure of the Zionist and American enemy,\u201d and it would not undermine the \u201cdetermination and steadfastness of the jihad fighters, but rather strengthen their determination and unity in the face of the enormous sacrifices they are making on the road to Jerusalem\u201d (al-Masirah, May 27, 2026).<\/p>\n

[1] Click https:\/\/www.terrorism-info.org.il\/en<\/a> to subscribe and receive the ITIC’s daily updates as well as its other publications.

\n[2] The concerted acts of the Palestinian and other terrorist organizations to destroy the State of Israel.

\n[3] See the May 2026 Amit Institute report, Elimination of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, Head of Hamas\u2019 Military Wing: Reactions and Significance<\/a>

\n[4] i.e., anti-Israel terrorism and violence.

\n[5] The atrocities of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack and massacre.<\/p>\n

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