Hamas Military Chief Mohammed Deif, Mastermind Of 7 October Terror Attack, Killed In Gaza Strike: Israel

The Israeli military on Thursday (1 August) confirmed the death of Mohammed Deif, the military chief of Palestinian terror outfit Hamas, in a strike conducted last month in the southern area of Khan Yunis in Gaza.

The confirmation of Deif's death comes a day after Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh's killing in Tehran.

"The IDF (Israeli army) announces that on July 13th, 2024, IDF fighter jets struck in the area of Khan Yunis, and following an intelligence assessment, it can be confirmed that Mohammed Deif was eliminated in the strike," a military statement said.

"Deif initiated, planned, and executed the October 7th massacre," the military said, news agency AFP reported.

The Hamas teror attack on southern Israel resulted in the death of around 1,200 people.

At the time of the 13 July strike, health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza claimed that it killed more than 90 people, though Hamas denied that Deif was among those killed.

The strike, involving a 2,000-pound (900 kg) bomb, near the house where Deif was believed to be hiding with one of his deputies, left a massive crater.

Deif was the head of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, and had been among one of Israel's most wanted men for nearly three decades and listed as an "international terrorist" by the US since 2015.

According to the Israeli military, Deif had orchestrated numerous attacks against Israel over the years.

The military stated that Deif operated alongside Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza.

"During the war, he commanded Hamas's terrorist activity in the Gaza Strip by issuing commands and instructions to senior members of Hamas's military wing," it added.

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