Mohammed Deif was the mastermind behind the attacks on southern and central Israel on Saturday, killing over 1,000 people. A rocket barrage strike from the Gaza Strip to Israel escalated the tension within the region, leading to a full-scale war in the area between Israel and Hamas terrorists. Nearly a thousand people have died while more than 2,000 were injured following a mass invasion of Hamas militants into Israeli territories.


Deif, Israel’s most wanted man, called the attacks the Al-Aqsa Flood. He used this phrase in an audio tape broadcast on the Hamas TV channel. Deif began planning the operation in May 2021 when Israel carried out raids at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest site, news agency Reuters reported, citing a source.


"It was triggered by scenes and footage of Israel storming Al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, beating worshippers, attacking them, and dragging elderly and young men out of the mosque," Reuters quoted the source as saying. "All this fuelled and ignited the anger."


Who Is Mohammed Deif?


Deif was born Mohammad Masri in 1965 in the Khan Yunis Refugee Camp, set up after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, as reported by Reuters. The militant leader became known as Mohammed Deif after he became a part of Hamas during the first Intifada, or Palestinian uprising, in 1987. Deif was arrested by Israel in 1989. He spent about 16 months in detention, a Hamas source said.


Deif attended the Islamic University in Gaza and earned a degree in science. He studied physics, chemistry, and biology. He headed the university's entertainment committee and performed on stage in comedies. Deif, who survived seven Israeli assassination attempts, rarely speaks and never makes public appearances. He lost his wife, 7-month-old son, and 3-year-old daughter in an Israeli airstrike in 2014.


"Today, the rage of Al Aqsa and the rage of our people and nation are exploding. Our mujahedeen (fighters), today is your day to make this criminal understand that his time has ended," Deif said in an audio tape broadcast. According to Reuters, there are only three images of Deif: one in his 20s, another of him masked, and an image of his shadow, which was used when the audio tape was broadcast by the Hamas TV channel.


For Deif, staying in the shadow has been a matter of life or death. He lost an eye and sustained serious injuries in one leg in one of Israel's assassination attempts, Reuters reported, citing Hamas sources. The whereabouts of Deif are unknown, though he is most likely in Gaza, in the maze of tunnels under the enclave. He was directly involved in the planning and operational aspects of the attack, Reuters reported, citing an Israeli security source.


Deif was instrumental in developing Hamas's network of tunnels and its expertise in bomb-making. He has been at the top of Israel's most wanted list for decades. Deif was held personally responsible for the deaths of Israelis in suicide bombings.


Two Brains Behind The Assault


The decision to prepare the assault on Israel was jointly taken by Deif, who commands Hamas's Al Qassam Brigades, along with Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Reuters reported, citing a source close to Hamas. However, it was clear that Deif was the mastermind. "There are two brains, but there is one mastermind," Reuters quoted the source as saying. The source further stated that information about the operation was known only to a handful of Hamas leaders.


Israel was in a belief that Hamas, an ally of Iran, was not interested in starting a conflict and was focusing instead on economic development in Gaza, where the movement is the governing power, as reported by Reuters. While Israel provided economic incentives to Gazan workers, the group's fighters were being imparted training, often in plain sight of the Israeli military, Reuters reported, citing a source. "We have prepared for this battle for two years," said Ali Baraka, the head of external relations for Hamas, as quoted by Reuters. Hamas


Urged International Community To Put An End To ‘Crimes Of The Occupation’: Deif


In his recording, Deif stated that Hamas had repeatedly warned Israel to put an end to its crimes against Palestinians and release prisoners, whom he claimed were abused and tortured, and to halt its expropriation of Palestinian land.


"Every day the occupation storm our villages, towns, and cities in the West Bank and raid houses, kill, injure, destroy, and detain. At the same time, it confiscates thousands of acres of our land, uproots our people from their houses to build settlements while its criminal siege continues on Gaza," Deif said, as quoted by Reuters.


Deif stated that Hamas had urged the international community to end the "crimes of occupation," but Israel had increased its provocations. He further said that Hamas had in the past asked Israel for a humanitarian deal to release Palestinian prisoners, but this was rejected.


"In light of the orgy of occupation and its denial of international laws and resolutions, and in light of American and western support and international silence, we've decided to put an end to all this," he said, as quoted by Reuters.