Hamas Military Chief Mohammed Deif, Who Was Mastermind Of October 7 Attack, Killed In Strike, Israel Says

Israeli Defence Force's fighter jets had struck the Khan Yunis area in southern Gaza last month, during which Deif was killed.

Israel has confirmed that Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif was killed in Gaza strike last month.

Source : X/@ANI

Israel on Thursday confirmed that Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks last year, was killed in an airstrike in Gaza in July. 

This comes after Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an air strike in Iran's capital Tehran on Wednesday morning, with the outfit blaming Israel for its involvement in the attack. Haniyeh's death was confirmed by Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hamas.

"We can now confirm: Mohammed Deif was eliminated," the Israel Defence Forces announced on X.

"The IDF (Israeli army) announces that on July 13th, 2024, IDF fighter jets struck in the area of Khan Yunis, and following an intelligence assessment, it can be confirmed that Mohammed Deif was eliminated in the strike," a military statement said.

On July 13, IDF had struck a compound in Gaza's Khan Yunis area. The Gaza Health Ministry had said that the strikes killed at least 90 Palestinians, as the strikes hit an area that Israel had designated a humanitarian zone for displaced families. 

It was believed that Mohammed Deif and Rafa's Salameh, who is the commander of Hamas's Khan Yunis brigade were also present at the compound at the time of the strike. 

However, there was no confirmation, if Deif was killed in the attack or not.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant hailed the confirmation of Deif's killing and called it a "significant milestone in the process of dismantling Hamas as a military and governing authority in Gaza," Al Jazeera reported.

“Hamas terrorists may either surrender or they will be eliminated. Israel’s defense establishment will pursue Hamas terrorists – both the planners and the perpetrators of the 07.10 massacre. We will not rest until this mission is accomplished,” he posted on X.

Deif was believed to be among the key architects of the attacks on October 7 in Israel last year, when the Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel and took over 250 people as hostage. This started the Gaza war that has now entered its 10th month.

Since then, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to keep fighting until Hamas is eliminated.