Muhammad Deif, the leader of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza and a key figure behind the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has been confirmed dead by Hamas. He was in his late 50s.
Deif, whose real name was Muhammad al-Masri, was a senior Hamas leader and one of Israel’s most-wanted militants for decades. He survived multiple assassination attempts before being killed in an Israeli airstrike on July 13, according to the Israeli military. His death was acknowledged by Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeida in a recorded statement on Thursday.
The Israeli military reported that the strike on a compound in Khan Younis resulted in the deaths of at least 90 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. This area was designated as a humanitarian zone, which housed many displaced Palestinians. The health ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its casualty figures.
Deif was described as “the beating heart” of Hamas’s military operations and a significant military strategist. He was known for his elusive nature, with few photographs available and a history of living in hiding. His name, “Deif,” translates to “guest” in Arabic, reflecting his frequent relocations to evade capture.
Born in 1965 in the Khan Younis refugee camp, Deif joined Hamas in the late 1980s and quickly gained a reputation as a master bombmaker. He orchestrated numerous attacks on Israel, including deadly bus bombings in the mid-1990s. Following the death of Salah Shehadeh, a founder of Hamas's military wing, in 2002, Deif took command and expanded the group’s military capabilities.
Deif was a prominent figure on Israel’s most-wanted list, surviving over eight assassination attempts. In 2015, the U.S. State Department designated him a “specially designated global terrorist.” His ability to evade capture and his commitment to Hamas's objectives contributed to his status among some Palestinians.
The October 7 attack, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the taking of around 250 hostages, marked a significant intelligence failure for Israel and led to a devastating war that caused extensive casualties in Gaza. Following the attack, Israel intensified its military operations against Hamas, targeting leaders including Deif.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Deif’s arrest for war crimes related to the October attack, although the likelihood of his capture was considered slim due to his long-standing underground existence.
Israeli officials indicated that Deif may have developed health issues that led him to spend more time above ground, where he was ultimately located and killed in an airstrike. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the targeting of Deif, stating that he bore responsibility for the deaths of many Israelis.