The Israeli military stated on Thursday (August 1st) that Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’ military department, was killed in last month’s Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
It is believed that Deif was one of the masterminds behind the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, which led to the Gaza war. In that attack, 1,200 people were killed, and 251 were taken hostage.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday that on July 13, 2024, Israeli fighter jets carried out an airstrike in the Khan Yunis area, and after intelligence assessment, it was confirmed that Mohammed Deif was killed in this operation.
However, Hamas has not confirmed his death. Deif has been at the top of Israel’s most-wanted list for decades, evading assassination attempts and remaining out of the public eye for many years.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the strike was carried out with “precision and professionalism,” and that Deif’s death marks a significant milestone in dismantling Hamas. He also said, “Hamas terrorists either surrender or be eliminated.”
Deif was the leader of Hamas’ Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades military department, widely considered as the second in command in Gaza, after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The Israeli airstrikes on July 13 targeted both Deif and Sinwar.
Local health officials reported last month that at least 90 Palestinians were killed in the July 13 attack but denied that Deif was among the casualties.
Israel also accused Deif of masterminding a public bus bombing in 1996 that killed dozens of Israelis, as well as being involved in the abduction and execution of three Israeli soldiers in the mid-1990s.
It is well known that Deif had helped build tunnels that allowed Hamas fighters to launch attacks into Israeli territory from Gaza, triggering the recent conflict with Israel.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza lasted nearly ten months, resulting in approximately 39,480 Palestinians killed and over 91,100 injured.
After Israel announced Deif’s death, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s funeral took place in the Iranian capital. Hamas and Iran claimed that he was assassinated hours after attending the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s new president. Following the news of Haniyeh’s death, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed retaliation, raising concerns of a full-scale Middle East war outbreak.
Both Iran and Hamas blamed Israel for Haniyeh’s death, but Israel did not respond to the accusations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the IDF is achieving its war goals in response to the developments.
However, Israel did confirm on Tuesday the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut. Both Hamas and Hezbollah receive support from Iran.