Muhammad Deif:
Israel Targets October 7th Mastermind:
A StandWithUs UK Deep Dive
On Saturday 13th July, the IDF carried out a targeted airstrike in Gaza. The main target is claimed to be Muhammad Deif. Much has been reported regarding this operation, and so we will try to answer the important questions.
In a nutshell:
The IDF conducted a targeted airstrike in Gaza on July 13th, aiming to eliminate Muhammad Deif, the mastermind of the October 7th massacres and Hamas’s most senior operational figure in the past 30 years. Deif is the head of the military wing of Hamas and a key figure in numerous terror attacks, including the Jaffa Street bombings, the Park Hotel massacre, and the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit. Deif, known for his elusive nature and survival from multiple assassination attempts, is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Israelis and has been hunted by the IDF for over 30 years. The recent strike, based on precise intelligence, targeted Deif and his right-hand man in a Hamas compound outside designated humanitarian zones. There is growing optimism that the operation successfully eliminated Deif.
Firstly, who is Muhammad Deif and why is he such an important target for the IDF?
Born as Mohammad Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, he later became known as “El Deif” or “the Guest” due to his habit of staying in different houses every night for decades to avoid being tracked and killed by Israel. Muhammad Deif is considered one of the worst Hamas terrorists in its history, with a long record of horrific violence against Israelis.
Muhammad Deif is the commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, and is considered number 2 to Yahya Sinwar himself. He is responsible for the planning and execution of some of the most awful terror attacks against Israelis, including the Jaffa Street bombings in 1996, and the Park Hotel massacre in Netanya in 2002. Deif has survived multiple assassination attempts by Israel over the past 30 years, being severely injured over time from them. He has spent much of the past 20 years underground and has rarely been seen whilst planning terror attacks against Israelis. Since the start of the current war, images have surfaced showing that he is alive and active in Hamas.
Deif is one of the prime architects of the October 7th massacre.
Muhammad Deif has become a legendary figure amongst Gazans. He has a number of nicknames including “The Phantom” and “The Shadow” as he has remained hidden since his 20s. He has been at the top of Israel’s most wanted list, and the US and EU both have him on terror blacklists. He is regarded as an expert planner of terror attacks, not needing maps and visuals to plan his awful schemes, and also as one of the “founding generation” of suicide bombers which transformed Hamas into a lethal terror group. Deif’s operational level and influence in Hamas is comparable to the infamous figures Qassam Soleimani of the IRGC from Iran, and Imad Mughniyeh of Hezbollah, who held parallel roles in their terror groups.
In 1989, at the age of 24, Deif was arrested and jailed for terror activity during the First Intifada. Following his release from prison, he rose ranks in Hamas quickly due to his desire to take part in murderous terror activity. Deif planned the abduction and murder of IDF soldier Nachshon Wachsman, and in 1996 succeeded Yahya Ayyash, “The Engineer”, who was a commander of Hamas’ military until the IDF assassinated him. Ayyash is considered the creator of the suicide bomb belt, and was a mentor for Deif, teaching him how to make bombs.
Muhammad Deif was responsible for the planning of a number of horrific terror attacks against Israelis, including, :
- Jaffa Street Bombings, 25th February and 3rd March 1996: a little over a week apart, two buses in Jerusalem were blown up by Hamas suicide bombers, murdered a combined 45 people.
- Dizengoff Centre Suicide Bombing, 4th March 1996: on the eve of the Jewish festival of Purim, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives in the Dizengoff Centre, the heart of Tel Aviv. 13 Israelis were murdered, and 130 were injured.
- Park Hotel Massacre, 27th March 2002: during a communal Seder Night on Passover at the hotel, a Hamas terrorist broke in and detonated his suicide belt. 30 people were killed, and 140 were injured.
Following further escapes from arrests and assassination attempts, Deif took over as the Chief of the Al-Qassam Brigades in 2002. Since then, he has been responsible for planning all of the most significant terror attacks against Israelis. He planned the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit in 2006 and has been one of the most important figures in Hamas’ relationship with the Islamic leadership of Iran.
Prior to Saturday’s operation, there have been six assassination attempts against Deif since the early 1990’s. Deif has avoided death, but has been seriously injured over the years, including losing an eye.
Saturday’s Operation
At 11am on Saturday 13th July, the IDF targeted Mohammed Deif, and his right-hand man, Rafa Salama, who serves as the Khan Yunis brigade commander. The strike took place in the Al-Mawasi refugee area in Khan Yonis. The compound targeted is a fenced off area used by Hamas to conduct terror activities.
“In a joint operation by the IDF and the Shin Bet, the Air Force and Southern Command, based on precise intelligence from the Military Intelligence Directorate and the Shin Bet, attacked the area where two senior Hamas terrorists and other militants were hiding among civilians,” the IDF stated regarding the attack. “The area attacked is an open, wooded space with several buildings and sheds.”
The targeting of Deif is the latest in a series of operations by the IDF to eliminate key Hamas figures during this war. Notable names that have been targeted by the IDF include Saleh Al-Arouri, Hamas military commander of West Bank operations, who was assassinated in a precise attack in Lebanon back in January. The IDF also targeted and eliminated Marwan Issa in March. Issa was Hamas number three in Gaza, head of military operations and at the time Deif’s right-hand man.
What do we know the location of the strike?
According to the IDF, this compound area is not a part of the designated humanitarian area that they have mapped out for civilians. It is well-known to be a Hamas operation centre, cynically located close to civilians in order to deter any IDF attacks.
Hamas has spent much of this war operating within hospitals such as Al-Shifa, and in international relief areas such as UNWRA bases in the heart of refugee camps such as Al-Nuseirat. This does not exempt them from being targeted by the IDF according to international law.
The IDF has stated that the compound was not within a humanitarian zone, was well-known to be a Hamas base, and therefore a legitimate target.
The IDF received strong and reliable intelligence overnight that Deif was going to meet Salama in the compound. Once received, they planned the strike and waited for confirmation that Deif was present in the compound. The IDF has been very successful so far in eliminating Hamas tunnels throughout this war. This is forcing Hamas above ground when moving from various points, and therefore makes them far more vulnerable as targets.
Is Deif dead?
Since the strike, there has been much caution about Deif’s fate due to his history of surviving assassination attempts. However, there is growing optimism amongst the IDF that the operation was a success and that Deif has been eliminated. Firstly, the meeting took place in a building above ground, which highly increases the likelihood of a successful elimination. Secondly, Rafa Salama, who was meeting Deif and is his right-hand man, has been confirmed to have been killed by the strike. Thirdly, there is currently no contact with any hostage negotiations as Deif is in charge of their captivity.
Before and after images of the targeted compound.
