Day 953: Former Hostages Liri Albag, Omri Miran, Emily Damari Describe 'Closure' After al-Haddad Killing — But October Council and Bereaved Families Simultaneously Renew Demand for Independent October 7 Probe; 46 Days to Supreme Court July 1 Deadline; Hamas Has No Named Military Successor

On May 17, 2026 (Day 953 / Ceasefire Day 220), the day after Israel confirmed the killing of Izz al-Din al-Haddad — head of Hamas's military wing in Gaza and the last known senior architect of the October 7, 2023 attack — former Israeli hostages who had been personally held by al-Haddad offered public reactions describing both personal closure and lingering grief. Former hostage Omri Miran, who had been held in Gaza tunnels where al-Haddad oversaw captives, told the Times of Israel the killing felt 'like a type of small victory, a victory over evil,' adding that al-Haddad had 'proudly boasted how he was an architect of the October 7 massacre' during their captivity. Former IDF surveillance soldier Liri Albag — one of five Nahal Oz intelligence-post soldiers kidnapped directly by al-Haddad's forces on October 7 and held until the January 2025 ceasefire — posted on Instagram: 'Every dog gets its day, and you are a hell of a dog.' Former hostage Emily Damari called the elimination 'a very important closure for many people,' adding: 'He planned October 7, murdered my friends and many other dear people, and planned my kidnapping and also held me in Hamas tunnels.' Simultaneously, the October Council (umbrella organization for bereaved October 7 families) and the broader bereaved families movement made clear that the tactical satisfaction of al-Haddad's elimination did not resolve the Israeli government accountability crisis. With 46 days remaining until the Supreme Court's July 1, 2026 deadline for the government to present a 'suitable' investigation mechanism, the October Council noted that the Kallner inquiry bill — which had dropped 'independent investigation' language and barred judges — remained on track for a first plenum reading in late May. Former hostages and bereaved families argued that the same urgency applied to eliminating Hamas perpetrators must be applied equally to investigating Israeli government and intelligence failures. As of May 17, Hamas had not formally named a successor to al-Haddad as military wing commander in Gaza. The political bureau continued under a five-member collective leadership (Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled Meshaal, Mohammed Darwish, Zaher Jabarin, Nizar Awadallah), with al-Hayya and Meshaal competing for the political bureau chief role; no military chief appointment was publicly announced. Former hostages confirmed through their testimony that al-Haddad had deliberately 'surrounded himself with hostages' as human shields throughout the conflict to deter Israeli targeting — and that his elimination was possible only because his location was ultimately exposed.