Hamas’s military chief in Gaza, Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, made a series of operational mistakes in the months leading up to his killing that ultimately enabled Israeli intelligence to locate him, according to security sources cited in Israeli media reports.
The report said Haddad had initially followed strict security protocols, moving through Gaza’s tunnel network and limiting knowledge of his whereabouts to a very small circle.
He was also said to have changed locations frequently and avoided exposure above ground.However, according to the sources, Haddad later deviated from his own rules during a critical period.
He was said to have emerged from the tunnel system on limited occasions and reduced his operational discipline as pressure increased on Hamas leadership in Gaza City.Security officials claimed these lapses helped Israeli intelligence identify patterns in his movements.
The report added that Israeli forces, already advancing in the area at the time, were able to narrow down his location before carrying out the strike that killed him.
The sources also said Haddad had pushed internally for acceptance of a ceasefire as Israeli ground forces tightened their encirclement of Gaza City, warning within Hamas circles that continued rejection could accelerate the collapse of the group’s military structure.
According to the report, Israeli intelligence assessments concluded that a combination of increased battlefield pressure and reduced operational caution among Hamas leaders contributed to exposing senior figures in the organisation.
Haddad reportedly coordinated Gaza-related directives through senior Hamas leadership figures outside the enclave and, at times, shifted between underground positions and limited surface movement during periods when Israeli attention was focused on other fronts.
Israeli defense officials said these operational errors created opportunities that were exploited to track and eliminate senior Hamas commanders.