Hamas confirms death of military commander Mohammed Deif

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas, confirmed the martyrdom of several of its military council leaders in the battle against the Israeli invasion of the besieged Gaza Strip, including its chief of staff Mohammed Deif.

News ID: 5893

Date: 30 January 2025 - 22:12

TABNAK, Jan 30: Chief of al-Qassam Brigades Abu Obeida on Thursday also confirmed the death of deputy military commander Marwan Issa in combat.

Other commanders killed in the battle included Ghazi Abu Tama’a, the commander of weapons and combat services, Raed Thabet, the commander of manpower and head of supplies unit, and Rafeh Salama, the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade.

Ahmed al-Ghandour, the commander of Northern Brigade, and Ayman Nofal, the commander of Central Brigade, were the other high-profile Hamas members killed in combat.

Mohammad 'Abu Khaled' Deif, known for his elusiveness, had survived at least seven attempts on his life by Israel. He had a key figure in orchestrating military operations against Israel.

v Media outlets had reported Deif’s death, but the announcement Thursday is the first official acknowledgment from Hamas of the senior leader’s demise.

Israel initially announced in August 2024 that Deif had been killed in a July airstrike, but his death had not been confirmed since.

Abu Obeida said the announcement came only after completing necessary procedures, addressing security concerns dictated by battlefield conditions and verifying details.

He noted that the group had previously announced the deaths of Ghandour and Nofal during Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Deif's deputy, Issa, was instrumental in Hamas's military strategies. Tama’a, responsible for overseeing the organization's weapons in Gaza, previously served as the head of the Central Camps Brigade of Hamas.

Thabet was considered among the top ten most senior Hamas military commanders, while Salama was known for his close association with Deif and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar who was killed in combat in Gaza in October.