Mohammed Deif

Mohammed Deif
مُحَمَّدٌ ٱلضَّيْفُ
Birth nameMohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri
Nickname(s)Abu Khaled (kunya)

The mastermind (Palestinian nickname)[source?]

The cat with nine lives (Israeli nickname)[source?]
Born1965 (age 60–61)
Khan Yunis refugee camp, Gaza Strip (under Egyptian rule)
Died13 July 2024(2024-07-13) (aged 58)
Al-Mawasi, Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip
AllegianceHamas Hamas
Years of service1987–present
RankChief of Staff (2002–present)
CommandsEzzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades
Battles / wars

Mohammed Deif (Arabic: مُحَمَّدٌ ٱلضَّيْفُ) was the head of staff in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement.

He was born in 1965 in the Khan Yunis Refugee Camp inside the Gaza Strip that was set up by Israel after the 1948 Palestine War.

He joined the Hamas movement in 1987, and went by the alias Mohammed Deif, which means guest in the Arabic language, possibly referring to how he would live like a nomad to not be targeted by the government of Israel.

Terrorist designations

In 2015 and 2023 respectively, he was designated a terrorist by the EU and USA.

Assassination attempts and attacks on family

On the morning of Wednesday 11 October 2023, the family home of Deif's father was hit by an airstrike in Khan Younis; his father, brother and at least two other relatives were killed in the attack.

Attempted assassinations of Mouhammed Deif
Attempt Date Location Weapon Deaths Injuries Context During
1 2001
2002 a car in Gaza 2 people Deif lost an eye
4 2006 July 12 Deif had spinal injuries IDF soldier Gilad Shalit taken hostage. 2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis
2014 August 19 multifamily house, in Sheikh Radwan, Gaza City air strike with 6 missiles 6+ killed: 2 women, 2 teenagers, 2 infants. 15 people injured (1+ child), Deif family killings 2014 Gaza War
2023 October 11 (morning) air strike Airstrike on the family home of Deif's father. Israel–Hamas war
8+ 2024 July 13 Al-Mawasi, Rafah air strike, with 8 missiles 90 300 13 July 2024 al-Mawasi attack
  1. ↑ Strike on his father's house, target undisclosed.

References

  1. ↑ Messing, Dafna (2021-05-11). "Who are you, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, aka Muhammed Deif?". Alma Research and Education Center. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
  2. ↑ Nakhoul, Samia; Bassam, Laila (2023-10-11). "Who is Mohammed Deif, the Hamas commander behind the attack on Israel?". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  3. ↑ "Who Is Mohammed Deif? Hamas' Elusive Commander Remains A Mystery Figure". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  4. 1 2 "Hamas' deadly 'phantom': the man behind the attacks". Australian Financial Review. 2023-10-26. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  5. ↑ AP and ToI Staff. "Arch-terrorists Kuntar, Deif put on US blacklist". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  6. ↑ "Terrorist Designations of Yahya Sinwar, Rawhi Mushtaha, and Muhammed Deif". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 2017-01-21. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  7. ↑ AFP (8 December 2023). "EU adds Hamas military chiefs Mohammed Deif, Marwan Issa to terror blacklist". Times of Israel.
  8. 1 2 3 "Israel Bombs House Of Hamas Military Chief's Father". NDTV. 11 October 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 oussama (2024-08-02). "7 Failed Attempts to Assassinate Mohammed Deif.. Has the Eighth Succeeded?". En.ImArabic. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  10. 1 2 3 "Israel has tried to assassinate 'The Guest' seven times. Here's how his luck may have finally run out". ABC News. 2024-07-19. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  11. ↑ "Who is Mohammed Deif, the elusive Hamas commander behind the attack on Israel?". cnbctv18.com. 2023-10-11. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  12. ↑ "Israel's Most Wanted Man Seriously Injured In Bombing". www.wltx.com. 12 July 2006. Retrieved 2012-09-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  13. 1 2 "Israel's Most Wanted Man Seriously Injured In Bombing". www.wltx.com. 12 July 2006. Retrieved 2012-09-18. … a serious injury to the spine that required four hours of surgery and could paralyze him.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  14. ↑ Pelham, Nicolas (20 October 2023). "Hamas's deadly "phantom": the man behind the attacks". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  15. 1 2 Rights, Al Mezan Center for Human (26 June 2015). "Al Dalu family, Gaza City". Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  16. 1 2 Gadzo, Mersiha. "Israel's war on Gaza updates: Israeli strikes on al-Mawasi kill at least 90". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  17. 1 2 "IDF says senior Hamas commander Rafa Salama killed in Israeli air strike". BBC News. 2024-07-14. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  18. 1 2 Levy, Gideon (13 July 2024). "How Many Dead Children in Gaza Is Mohammed Deif Worth?". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.

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