The Israeli security establishment unanimously assesses that Hamas’s military commander Muhammad Deif was killed in an airstrike on Saturday in the Al-Mawasi area of the Gaza Strip. Channel 12 reported the conclusion, citing unnamed sources. The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed that Rafa’a Salameh, commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, was also killed in the strike.
US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew mentioned on Monday that there were indications Deif had been eliminated, although there was no official confirmation. The airstrike targeted a compound in Al-Mawasi, which the IDF identified as a designated humanitarian zone. This attack has resulted in significant casualties, with the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reporting 141 Palestinians killed and approximately 400 injured since the strikes began on Saturday. Videos and eyewitness accounts described the devastation, likening it to an earthquake.
Muhammad Deif, the second in command in Hamas and the architect of the October 7 attacks, has survived previous attempts to kill him. Judging by the size of the crater, the Israelis left little to chance this time. They dropped a very big bomb on him pic.twitter.com/nqjLfWlQ5X
— Mike (@Doranimated) July 13, 2024
Deif, a key figure in Hamas’s military operations and considered a mastermind behind the October 7 attacks, has been at the top of Israel’s most wanted list for decades. His death, if confirmed, would mark the highest-profile loss for Hamas since the conflict in Gaza escalated nine months ago. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted there was “no certainty” regarding Deif’s death, while Hamas has reportedly taken steps to obscure the results of the strike, including heavily guarding the hospital where the injured are being treated.
Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, visiting troops in Rafah, underscored the significance of these operations, linking them to the October 7 attack and reiterating the commitment to the residents of Gaza border communities. Meanwhile, Hamas officials condemned the strikes, describing them as a grave escalation and signaling Israel’s disinterest in a ceasefire.
The photos I have been able to find of Muhammad Deif: 1985 (red circle from Islamic University of Gaza), 1994 (far left of the three), unknown, and allegedly a quite recent one of him. pic.twitter.com/CuDQxhPwWv
— Erik Skare (@ErikSkare) December 27, 2023
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