Hamas Confirms Death of Top Commander Mohammed Deif, Key Figures Also Killed

Hamas has confirmed the death of its long-time military commander, Mohammed Deif, acknowledging he was killed in an Israeli air attack, Al Jazeera reports.

The confirmation, made by the spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, comes after months of speculation. The Israeli military had previously claimed to have killed Deif in July, but Hamas had remained silent on the matter until Thursday.

Deif was a founding member of the Qassam Brigades in the 1990s and led the group for over two decades. He is considered a key figure in the organization, credited with planning numerous attacks that led to the deaths of dozens of Israelis. Deif was also instrumental in developing Hamas’s network of tunnels and its bomb-making capabilities.

His death is a significant loss for the group, particularly given his central role in the October 7 attacks on southern Israel. On that day, a rare voice recording of Deif was released announcing the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation, which Hamas claimed was retaliation for Israeli raids at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The news comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Deif in November, citing alleged “crimes against humanity and war crimes.” The ICC also issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing similar allegations related to Israel’s actions in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The statement from Abu Obeida also revealed the deaths of several other key Hamas commanders. These include deputy military commander Marwan Issa, who Israel claimed to have killed in March. Hamas officials had previously stated they had no confirmation of Issa’s death. Other commanders named as deceased were Ghazi Abu Tamaa, commander of weapons and combat services; Raed Thabet, commander of manpower and head of the supplies unit; and Rafei Salama, commander of the Khan Younis Brigade.