(New York, N.Y.) — Today, nearly three weeks after an air-strike targeting senior Hamas leaders in the vicinity of Khan Younis, Gaza—and in the wake of a slew of assassinations and deaths of top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders including Ismail Haniyeh and Fuad Shukr—the Israel Defense Force confirmed the death of Mohammed Deif (born Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al Masri). Deif was the commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the official armed wing of Hamas established in 1991. Deif, a survivor of at least eight reported assassination attempts, was widely understood to be the mastermind of the Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel that killed 1,200 people on October 7, 2023. On July 26, EQB released a short video with audio purportedly from a Deif speech describing October 7 as an invitation for “the liberation of Palestine, and returning it to the holy cradle of Islam.” Deif was a U.S.-Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) and was added to the EU’s terrorism list in December 2023.
Expert Analysis:
CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler
“With the confirmation of the death of Mohammed Deif, Hamas has lost one of the two key terrorist leaders of the group in Gaza. This is a significant strike against the group’s terrorist capabilities and an important step towards ensuring that Hamas is no longer able to threaten Israel and its population from Gaza. As one of the earliest members of Hamas and the head of the al-Qassam Brigades, Deif was not only a key member of the group’s leadership in Gaza but also central to the planning and preparation of Hamas terror strategy overall. However, while a significant success, more remains to be done to sustainably remove the terror group’s infrastructure and capabilities in Gaza. Only when these are destroyed can a stable administration within Gaza be established that prevents the reemergence of Hamas as a power factor and terrorist threat to Israel.”
CEP Chief Executive Officer Ambassador Mark D. Wallace
“Hamas has spent considerable efforts since July 13 seeking to conceal the death of Mohammed Deif—indicative of his pivotal status within the terrorist organization. The long-sought elimination of Israel’s “most wanted” individual since 1995—architect of not only the October 7 massacre but responsible for countless acts of murder against innocents over three decades—delivers a strategic and psychological blow to Hamas. As much as degrading Hamas’ operational capacity, it sends a stark message that even the most elusive of terrorists are not safe from justice. While Hamas and its Iranian sponsors will inevitably glorify Deif, no-one with a shred of conscience should acclaim a life committed to division, destruction, and terror.”
CEP Resources:
To read CEPs Individual Report on Mohammed Deif, click here.
To read CEP’s Group Report on Hamas, click here.
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