Netanyahu Says Israel Killed New Hamas Military Chief and Intelligence Chief Mohamed Deif in Gaza Airstrike

Israel says it has killed Mohamed Odeh, also known as Mohamed Deif, whom it described as Hamas’s new military chief and intelligence chief, in an airstrike in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike took place on Tuesday night and claimed Deif was among the planners of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. According to the report, Deif had recently assumed leadership duties after the previous commander, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, was killed.

The article says Deif was viewed as one of Hamas’s key intelligence figures and a central strategist in the group’s armed operations. It states that he was born in 1974 in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza and became involved with Hamas during the First Intifada in 1987. He first worked with the Majd unit, which handled internal security, before joining the Qassam Brigades during the Second Intifada in 2000.

Over the years, Deif built a reputation for gathering and analyzing information about Israeli military movements. The report says that after becoming head of Hamas’s intelligence wing, he played a major role in armed operations against Israel. It also notes that from 2017 to 2019, he served as commander of the Northern Brigade.

The strike reportedly killed three people and injured 12 others. However, Hamas has not yet confirmed Deif’s death, and the claim remains unverified from the group’s side. The article says that following the killing of several major Hamas leaders in Israeli attacks, Deif had been overseeing military operations and weapons-related activities.

According to the report, Deif was considered one of the most influential and secretive figures inside Hamas, especially because of his role in intelligence, planning, and battlefield coordination. His reported death, if confirmed, would mark another major blow to Hamas’s military structure amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.