Gaza: The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced the death of their military chief, Mohammed Deif, at the hands of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip. Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the brigades, also confirmed that Marwan Issa, Deif’s deputy chief of staff, has been killed.
Obeida stated, “The enemy has assassinated two of our great leaders, but their legacy and resistance will continue,” emphasizing that the deaths of these military leaders won’t deter the Palestinian resistance against Israel. No further details were disclosed regarding the circumstances of their deaths.
Israel claimed to have killed Deif during an airstrike in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis on August 1, 2024. Deif was accused of being a key figure in orchestrating the Hamas attack on southern Israeli towns on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and 251 hostages taken.
Regarded as the second-highest official within Hamas in Gaza, Deif followed Yahya Sinwar, the group’s leader, who was also killed by Israeli forces last year. In May 2024, the International Criminal Court sought arrest warrants for Deif and other senior Hamas officials, believing they were responsible for the October 7 attacks.
Deif was instrumental in developing the tunnel networks used by Hamas fighters to infiltrate Israel and was credited with designing the Qassam rocket, a signature weapon of the group. The US had previously announced the death of Marwan Issa in March last year, identifying him as one of the most-wanted targets in Israel.
The European Union has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, directly linking Issa to the planning of the October 7 attack. The ongoing conflict erupted following the Hamas assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, which prompted a 15-month military offensive by Israel, resulting in over 47,460 Palestinian deaths, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.
A ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect on January 19, with 15 Israeli hostages released since then. Meanwhile, around 400 Palestinian prisoners, including those serving lengthy sentences for violent activities and minors held without charge, have been freed, with the majority returning to the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. About 70 of the most serious offenders have been deported.