Thousands of Palestinians took part on Saturday in a large funeral procession in Gaza for Izz ad-Deen al-Haddad, the General Commander of the Izz ad-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, who was killed alongside his wife and daughter in a targeted Zionist enemy assassination carried out the previous day.

The funeral procession set off from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Mosque in central Gaza City, amid widespread public anger. Mourners chanted slogans calling for resistance, continued confrontation with the Israeli enemy, and loyalty to the blood of the martyrs and their families.

Palestinian family sources confirmed that al-Haddad was killed in a direct Zionist enemy strike, which resulted in the deaths of his wife and daughter. They were reunited in martyrdom with his two sons, who had previously been killed during the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

The number of fatalities from Zionist enemy strikes the previous day rose to eight, following the bombing of a residential building and a vehicle in the al-Rimal neighborhood in central Gaza City.

Al-Haddad was regarded as one of the most prominent leaders of the Qassam Brigades in Gaza. He joined Hamas at its founding in 1987 and rose through the ranks of its military wing, beginning as an infantry fighter in the Gaza Brigade. He later became a unit commander, then a battalion commander, and eventually led the Gaza Brigade. He is also believed to have assumed overall command of the Qassam Brigades following the death of Mohammed Sinwar.

Known by the alias “Abu Suhaib,” al-Haddad was involved in the planning and execution of several military operations against the Zionist enemy. He also played a significant role in organizing the “Majd” unit, a Qassam-affiliated body responsible for tracking and pursuing individuals suspected of collaborating with the Zionist enemy.

Al-Haddad was considered one of the Israeli enemy's most wanted figures and was nicknamed the “Ghost of Qassam” due to his ability to evade capture and survive multiple assassination attempts. Zionist enemy authorities had offered a reward of $750,000 for information leading to his whereabouts.