In an announcement that shakes the landscape of the conflict in the Middle East, the Israeli Army has officially confirmed the death of Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’s military wing.
According to the Israeli military statement, Deif was “eliminated” in an airstrike July 13 on the outskirts of Jan Yunis, a city in southern Gaza. The attack, which initially raised doubts about whether it had achieved its objective, is now confirmed as a direct blow to the Hamas leadership. However, the human cost of this military operation was enormous, with reports of more than 90 civilian victims in the surrounding area.
Impact on Hamas leadership structure
Confirmation of Deif’s death comes at a critical time, just one day after an apparent Israeli attack in Tehran that ended the life of Ismail Haniyeh, the top political leader of Hamas. Although Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in this latest incident, the elimination of two key Hamas figures in such a short time represents a significant blow for the organization.
Deif was not just any leader. As one of the founders of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, in the 1990s, Deif led the unit for decades. Under his command, the Qassam Brigades carried out numerous suicide attacks against Israeli targets and developed a formidable arsenal of rockets capable of reaching deep into Israeli territory.
Despite these successes, Israel has not yet achieved its goal of eliminating Yehya Sinwar, the top leader of Hamas in Gaza. Sinwar, along with Deif, is considered by Israel to be one of the masterminds behind the October 7 attackin which Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage in communities in southern Israel.
Implications for the future
The deaths of Deif and Haniyeh raise questions about the future leadership of Hamas and the direction the conflict will take. As Israel continues its campaign to dismantle the Hamas command structure, the international community is watching with concern the escalation of tensions in the region.
The confirmation of the death of Mohammed Deif marks a significant milestone in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. However, with the promise of retaliation from Iran and the continued search for Sinwar, the outlook in the Middle East remains volatile and unpredictable.
