Overview

• Hamas announced the death of Mohammed Deif, its military chief, months after Israel claimed to have killed him in a July 2024 airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza.
• Deif was a key figure in planning the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages being taken to Gaza.
• The Israeli military stated that Deif was killed alongside other senior Hamas commanders, including Rafe Salama, in a targeted operation based on intelligence assessments.
• Deif, who survived multiple assassination attempts over decades, was also instrumental in developing Hamas's tunnel networks and Qassam rockets.
• The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Deif, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and others, citing alleged war crimes during the 15-month conflict that ended in January 2025.