Palestine (Washington Insider Magazine) – Israel’s military on Thursday announced that Hamas’s military chief, Mohammed Deif, was killed in an airstrike in the Gaza Strip on July 13. The strike targeted a compound in Khan Younis. Deif was one of the key figures responsible for planning the October 7 attacks in southern Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages.
Impact of Deif’s Death on Hamas
Deif became head of Hamas’s armed wing, Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, in 2002. Deif, who led the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, was among the most sought-after individuals in Israel. He survived multiple attempts at assassination, one of which in 2002 cost him an eye. Israel accused Deif with planning for several high-profile incidents, such as the 1996 bus bombings and the kidnapping and murder of Israeli troops in the mid-1990s.
According to Aljazeera, Hamas has not yet confirmed Deif’s death. Gaza health authorities initially reported that the July airstrike killed over 90 people but denied that Deif was among the dead. The Israeli military stated that “following an intelligence assessment, it can be confirmed that Mohammed Deif was eliminated.”
Following the October 7 attacks, Israel launched a massive military intervention in Gaza aimed at dismantling Hamas. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the ongoing conflict has resulted in at least 39,480 deaths.
Continued Conflict and Civilian Impact
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant described Deif’s death as a “significant milestone” in dismantling Hamas. He emphasized that Hamas terrorists must either surrender or face elimination. Deif was instrumental in developing tunnels used by Hamas fighters to infiltrate Israel from Gaza.
In a related development, Hamas political leader Ismael Haniyeh was killed during a visit to Iran on Wednesday. Israel has not commented directly on his death.
The offensive continues to have exuberating impacts on Gaza, with significant civilian casualties reported. Images from the scene of the July airstrike showed Palestinians attempting to rescue people from the rubble, with children and paramedics among the wounded. The Israeli military confirmed that it acted based on “precise intelligence” to target an area where senior Hamas officials were allegedly hiding among civilians.