Ahead of Israel's anticipated attack, Hamas appoints a new commander for the Gaza City Brigade.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

Arab Gulf_Mohammad Abu Shaer: The Israeli army radio said today, Thursday, that the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has appointed a new commander from the "shadow figures" to lead the Gaza City Brigade, which the Israeli army is preparing to attack in full. According to the Israeli army radio, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who took over the responsibility of leading the military wing of Hamas after the assassination of most of the movement's military leaders, decided to appoint Muhannad Rajab as commander of the Gaza City Brigade. It pointed out that the decision came in preparation for the Israeli army to expand its operations in Gaza City, to control the city and occupy it completely. Izz al-Din al-Haddad was the head of the Gaza City Brigade, and he is the only commander among the five brigade commanders of the military wing of Hamas that Israel has not succeeded in assassinating. During the war on Gaza, Israel succeeded in assassinating the commander of the Northern Gaza Strip Brigade, Ahmed Al-Ghandour, the commander of the Central Governorate Brigade, Ayman Nofal, the commander of the Khan Yunis City Brigade, Raafat Salama, and the commander of the Rafah City Brigade, Muhammad Shabana. The Israeli army radio explained that Izz al-Din al-Haddad became the commander of the military wing of Hamas, after the assassination of Muhammad al-Deif, who was leading the Hamas General Staff, his deputy Marwan Issa, as well as the assassination of Muhammad al-Sinwar, who was assigned the task later. It said, quoting Israeli security sources, that "the name of the new brigade commander is Muhannad Rajab, and he is a figure who has remained in the shadows until now." It added: "Hamas' move indicates an attempt to establish organized command and control from the brigade commander to the divisions in the field to lead operations against the Israeli army forces that will operate in Gaza City." It pointed out that the Israeli army estimates that the military wing of Hamas has two active brigades, one is the Gaza City Brigade, and the other is the Central Region Brigade, which the Israeli army has not entered. The Israeli army is working intensively in Gaza City, as it controls the eastern, northern and southern parts of the city, and has issued evacuation orders to residents who remain in the western areas of the city, to go to the central and southern areas of the Strip.