The personality of Deif is surrounded by mystery, and his name has always been associated with extreme caution. 

The Israeli occupation army has officially announced the assassination of the commander-in-chief of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Mohamed al-Deif, in a raid two weeks ago in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.

“After obtaining intelligence, we confirmed that Mohammed Deif, commander of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, was killed in an airstrike targeting him more than two weeks ago in Gaza,” an Israeli army statement said.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said Deif’s death was a major step in eliminating Hamas, as a military and governmental organization, and achieving the goals of the war on Gaza.

‘No New Intel’ – Israeli Army Retracts Claims It Killed Deif

Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, responded to the Israeli claims by saying that “confirming or denying the martyrdom of any of the Qassam leaders is the matter of the leadership of the Qassam Brigades and the leadership of the movement, and unless either of them declares (confirming or denying – PC), no news published in the media or by any other parties can be confirmed.”

Who is al-Deif? 

Mohamed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, known as Mohammed Deif, was born in 1965 into a Palestinian refugee family who was forced to leave their hometown of Qubayba inside historic Palestine, which was occupied by Zionist militias in 1948.

The personality of Deif is surrounded by mystery, and his name has always been associated with extreme caution. 

He is known to appear only sparingly, and he has not appeared in public since a failed Israeli assassination attempt in late September 2002 except in statements related to military operations of the Resistance – the latest of which is Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7.

‘Deif is Alive’ – Hamas Denies Israeli Claims about Real Reason behind Khan Yunis Massacre

Deif survived seven previous assassination attempts, some of which caused him serious injuries. 

Recently, the Israeli army has distributed leaflets in the Gaza Strip, promising large cash rewards of $100,000 to anyone who provides reliable information about the whereabouts of Hamas officials, such as Mohamemed Deif.

The Israeli announcement came only one day after the assassination of Hamas’ top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. 

(AJA, PC)