- Israel declares Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif dead
Israel Declares Hamas Military Chief Mohammed Deif Dead
Israel has declared Mohammed Deif, the military chief of the Islamist terror organization Hamas, dead. Deif was reportedly killed in a massive air strike in the Gaza Strip in mid-July, the Israeli army announced. He is considered one of the masterminds behind the terror attack on Israel on October 7 and was the chief of the Kassam Brigades and deputy to the Gaza chief of Hamas, Yahya al-Sinwar.
The army's announcement comes a day after the killing of Hamas' external chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran. Iran and Hamas blame Israel for the act. Israel has not responded to the accusation but stated that anyone who attacks the country will pay a high price.
The army said that Deif's death can be confirmed based on intelligence information. Fighter jets carried out a "precise, targeted strike" against a facility where Mohammed Deif and the commander of Hamas' Khan Yunis Brigade, Rafa Salama, were located about two weeks ago, according to the statement.
A War Goal
Israel had set a goal of capturing or killing Hamas chief Sinwar and his deputy, Deif, during its war in the Gaza Strip. In March, the army confirmed the killing of the third-highest Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Marwan Issa, in an air strike.
Deif and Sinwar are considered the main planners of the massacre in Israel on October 7 last year, during which around 1200 Israelis were killed and around 250 people were kidnapped to Gaza. The terror attack triggered the war.
Many Dead in Attack on Deif
Last month, the Israeli military bombed a fenced-off object in the humanitarian zone between Khan Yunis and Al-Mawasi, which Israel claimed served as a base for Hamas terrorists. According to the health authority controlled by Hamas, 90 people were killed and around 300 were injured in the attack.
According to Israeli reports, commander Salama was also among the dead. A high-ranking military representative later told journalists in an online briefing that the army had extremely reliable intelligence that Deif and Salama were in the base at the time of the attack.
Survived Numerous Assassination Attempts
In May, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, requested several arrest warrants. Alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Joav Galant, several Hamas leaders - including Sinwar and Deif - were also targeted. Khan is investigating crimes committed during the Gaza war.
Deif had survived numerous assassination attempts by Israel over the years. Until about six months ago, it was believed in the country that Deif had lost several limbs and had a multitude of physical disabilities. However, footage eventually emerged showing Deif with both arms and both legs intact.
During an air strike on a house in the Gaza Strip towards the end of the Gaza war in 2014, his wife and young son were killed. Deif managed to escape.
The announcement of Mohammed Deif's death by the Israeli army has sparked a response from Iran and Hamas, who blame Israel for the killing. The Commission, comprised of international investigators, is expected to look into these allegations and determine the facts surrounding Deif's death.
As one of the key figures in Hamas, the Commission's investigation into Mohammed Deif's death is crucial to understanding Israel's war strategies and Hamas' response in the Gaza Strip.
