One Man Left: Meet Imad Aqel, the Last Surviving Hamas Commander From October 7
With Mohammed Odeh eliminated just 11 days after his predecessor, Israel has now killed every senior Hamas military commander who planned October 7, leaving one shadowy figure, Imad Aqel, as the last man standing.
Israel has now killed every senior Hamas military figure who orchestrated the October 7 massacre, except one. His name is Imad Aqel, and almost nobody has heard of him. That obscurity may be exactly what has kept him alive.
The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed Wednesday morning the assassination of Hamas's brand new military chief Mohammed Odeh, killed in Gaza City on Tuesday night, just 11 days after his predecessor Izz al-Din al-Haddad was eliminated on May 15.
The rapid back-to-back eliminations have now completed an extraordinary campaign: Odeh joined al-Haddad, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, Mohammed Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and other top Hamas officials who Israel has assassinated since October 7, 2023.
According to foreign reports, the only remaining member of Hamas's core council is home front commander Imad Aqel, who did not participate directly in the October 7 attack.
The Shadow Man
Unlike figures like Yahya Sinwar or Muhammad Deif, Aqel hardly became a public or political symbol, which helped him survive several Israeli assassination attempts. He mostly remains behind the scenes and is said to possess extensive knowledge of Hamas's production systems, tunnels, and internal command structure.
Born in 1971 in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, Aqel joined the Islamist movement in his youth and became part of the Qassam Brigades from their earliest days in the 1990s. Over decades he built a reputation not as a charismatic figurehead, but as a methodical operator, focused on logistics, sabotage, weapons production, and infrastructure. Israel attempted to assassinate him in 2003, killing others around him, but Aqel escaped unharmed. His home in Nuseirat was bombed during Operation Cast Lead in 2009, he wasn't there.
He serves as head of the organization's "home front headquarters," responsible for logistics, production, and weapons supply to fighting forces. His role in preserving Hamas's operational continuity during wartime makes him a major Israeli target.
What Comes Next
Alongside Aqel, the IDF is also monitoring a new generation of commanders that Hamas is trying to foster after the severe blow to its leadership. One prominent name is Muhand Rajab, believed to have recently been promoted to commander of the "Gaza Brigade" - a tactical and professional figure rather than a charismatic one.
While the assassination of Odeh is a stunning intelligence accomplishment, it is far from clear that it will change the strategic picture with Hamas. The organization's political leadership remains outside Gaza, untouched, and since the October 2025 ceasefire, Hamas has agreed only to partial disarmament, handing over some heavy weapons, while a standoff continues over Israeli withdrawal and Gaza reconstruction.
Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement following the Odeh strike: "We will continue to pursue all those who took part in the October 7 massacre. Sooner or later, Israel will reach every one of them."
Based on their track record, Aqil is in real and present danger, as he should be.