Netanyahu and Katz: Israel Eliminates Senior Hamas Official Sa'ad for Rearming Rather Than Demilitarizing

Sa'ad, a key figure within Hamas, was closely associated with the group's founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who was killed by Israel in 2004. He also had strong ties with top Hamas military figures Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa, both of whom were eliminated by Israel during the 2024 conflict.

During his tenure, Sa'ad commanded a brigade in Gaza City and later established Hamas's naval commando unit. He eventually joined Hamas's high command, though he was later demoted to a secondary role due to disagreements with the faction led by the Sinwar brothers, who had seized control of the organization.

Despite the demotion, Sa'ad remained influential. Following the death of Mohammed Sinwar, he rose to become the second-in-command under al-Hadad, overseeing major aspects of Hamas's daily operations.

Sources:

• Netanyahu, Katz: Israel killed top Hamas official Sa'ad for rearming instead of demilitarizing