Israel has confirmed the death of Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif in a strike carried out last month in Khan Yunis, Gaza. This announcement follows the recent killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, reported by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hamas.
On July 13, 2024, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) targeted Khan Yunis with fighter jets, claiming Deif was killed in the attack. The military’s statement noted that Deif was responsible for orchestrating the October 7th massacre, which resulted in 1,197 deaths, according to AFP’s tally based on Israeli figures.
Hamas-run Gaza health authorities initially reported over 90 casualties from the strike, but Hamas denied that Deif was among them. The explosion from the suspected 2,000-pound bomb created a massive crater around the house where Deif was believed to be hiding with a deputy.
Deif, leader of Hamas’s Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, had been one of Israel’s most wanted individuals for nearly 30 years and was listed as an “international terrorist” by the U.S. since 2015. He had conducted numerous attacks against Israel and worked alongside Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza.
During the recent conflict, militants seized 251 individuals, with 111 still held captive in Gaza, including 39 the military reports as deceased. Israel’s retaliatory strikes have resulted in 39,480 deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties.
