Mohammed Deif, the longtime shadowy military leader of Hamas and one of the alleged masterminds behind the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza, is said to have been killed in an Israeli airstrike last month. The Israeli military claimed to have killed Deif in a massive strike in southern Gaza on July 13, citing an intelligence assessment. Hamas officials have not yet commented on Israel's claim.
Deif, one of the founders of Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades, led the unit for decades. Under his command, the group carried out numerous suicide bombings against Israelis and built up a significant arsenal of rockets capable of striking deep into Israel. He gained mythical status among Palestinians for surviving multiple Israeli assassination attempts and not appearing in public for decades, topping Israel's most-wanted list for years.
