Hamas militära ledare uppges dödad i israelisk attack

Al-Qassam Brigades, also known as the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades (EQB; Arabic: كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام, romanized: Katāʾib ash-Shahīd ʿIzz ad-Dīn al-Qassām, lit. 'The Battalions of the Martyr Izz ad-Din al-Qassam'), are the military wing of the Sunni Islamist Palestinian nationalist organization, Hamas. Led by Mohammed Deif until his death on 13 July 2024, Al-Qassam Brigades are the largest and best-equipped militant organization operating within the Gaza Strip in recent years. Created in mid-1991, they were at the time concerned with blocking the Oslo Accords negotiations. From 1994 to 2000, Al-Qassam Brigades have claimed responsibility for carrying out a number of attacks against Israelis. At the beginning of the Second Intifada, the group became a central target of Israel. Al-Qassam Brigades operated several cells in the West Bank. Hamas retained a forceful presence in the Gaza Strip, generally considered its stronghold. Yahya Sinwar, Hamas political leader in the Gaza Strip from February 2017 to October 2024, was the main military leader in the Brigades in Gaza during the Gaza war. After his killing, Sinwar was succeeded by his brother Mohammed. Mohammed was assassinated in May 2025 and was succeeded by Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who was assassinated in May 2026. Al-Qassam Brigades are explicitly listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, and the United Kingdom. Though not explicitly mentioning EQB, the United States and Canada have designated its parent entity, Hamas, as a terrorist organization; former Brigade leader Mohammed Deif was classified as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US under Executive Order 13224.