On Thursday, Israel asserted that it had eliminated Mohammad Deif, the chief military commander of Hamas, during a strike that occurred earlier in July.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that they conducted an operation in Gaza on July 13, aiming at two high-ranking Hamas officials. Deif, whom the IDF described as the architect of the Hamas-led violence against Israel on October 7, was among those targeted.
“Mohammad Deif, the primary military leader of Hamas, was the designated target of an Israeli strike in al-Mawasi,” two Israeli sources informed Fox News Digital following the attack.
Confirmation of Deif’s death was not made until Thursday.
ISRAEL ACKNOWLEDGES ATTACK ON COMPOUND IN CIVILIAN AREA OF GAZA AIMED AT OCT. 7 ARCHITECT
An undated image of Mohammad Deif, the architect behind Hamas’ suicide bombings. Very little is publicly known about the Palestinian who has managed to stay one step ahead of his Israeli adversaries for years. (Reuters)
“Muhammad Deif, referred to as the ‘Osama Bin Laden of Gaza,’ was killed on 13.07.24,” stated Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. “This marks a crucial step in dismantling Hamas as both a military and governing force in Gaza, fulfilling the objectives of this conflict.”
The IDF alleges that Deif orchestrated, strategized, and executed the terror on October 7 in collaboration with Yahya Sinwar, the leading figure of Hamas in Gaza. The attacks culminated in the deaths of 1,200 individuals in southern Israel and the abduction of 251 hostages into Gaza. Sinwar is thought to remain concealed within Gaza.
MILITARY OFFICIAL ENDEAVORS TO CLARIFY NO US CONNECTION TO STRIKE ON SENIOR HAMAS MEMBER IN TEHRAN
Palestinians are seen searching for victims and survivors at a site hit by an Israeli bombing in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Saturday, July 13, 2024. The Israeli military confirmed on Thursday, August 1, 2024, that the head of Hamas’ military division, Mohammed Deif, was killed in a Gaza airstrike in July. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, File)
The IDF noted that Deif was responsible for orchestrating many terrorist attacks against Israel over the years. He reportedly worked closely with Yahya Sinwar and commanded Hamas’ military operations in the Gaza Strip, relaying orders and directives to senior members of Hamas’ Military Wing during the conflict.
This past Tuesday, Israel announced the elimination of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon. On Wednesday, reports surfaced suggesting that Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, Iran.
WHITE HOUSE UNEASY ABOUT IMPACT OF ASSASSINATION ON GAZA CEASEFIRE DISCUSSIONS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, alongside Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the West Bank, August 2023. (Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Israel has not taken credit or denied accountability for the airstrike in Tehran that resulted in Haniyeh’s death.
The deaths of Hamas’ two leading figures represent a victory for Israel, which has vowed to persist with its campaign in Gaza until Hamas’ military potential is thoroughly dismantled. However, these operations complicate ceasefire discussions encouraged by the Biden-Harris administration, and Iran has vowed to retaliate for Haniyeh’s assassination.
Throughout its campaign of bombardments and offensives in Gaza over the past ten months, Israel has reportedly killed approximately 39,480 Palestinians and left over 91,100 injured, according to the Hamas-led Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants. Over 80% of the 2.3 million population has fled their homes, with many crammed into tent encampments in the southwest of the territory, facing severe shortages of food and water.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Deif was a founding member of Hamas’ military branch, the Qassam Brigades, in the 1990s, and he had led the group for many years. Under his leadership, the organization executed numerous suicide bombings targeting Israelis in public transport and cafes, while also amassing a significant stockpile of rockets capable of reaching deep into Israel.
Deif operated discreetly in Gaza, avoiding public appearances. He was rarely photographed, and his voice was seldom captured in recorded statements. He had survived multiple assassination attempts before ultimately being killed in July.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
