The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Thursday that it had killed Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif in an airstrike in July that also killed his deputy, Rafah Salameh.
Deif had survived seven previous assassination attempts, and Hamas did not immediately acknowledge his death. But there were growing signs in recent weeks that he had, in fact, been killed.
The IDF released previously unseen footage of the airstrike on Thursday:
In a joint statement, the IDF and Israel Security Agency (ISA, or Shin Bet, or Shabak) said:
The IDF announces that on July 13th, 2024, IDF fighter jets struck in the area of Khan Yunis, and following an intelligence assessment, it can be confirmed that Mohammed Deif was eliminated in the strike. Mohammed Deif was the Commander of Hamas’ Military Wing, and second in command of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. Deif initiated, planned, and executed the October 7th Massacre, in which 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel and 251 hostages abducted into the Gaza Strip.
Following precise IDF and ISA intelligence, IAF fighter jets conducted a precise, targeted strike on a compound in which Mohammed Deif and Rafa’a Salameh, the Commander of Hamas’ Khan Yunis Brigade, were located. The elimination of Rafa’a Salameh was confirmed several weeks ago. Additional terrorist operatives were also eliminated during the strike.
Over the years, Deif directed, planned, and carried out numerous terrorist attacks against the State of Israel. Deif operated side-by-side with Yahya Sinwar, and during the war, he commanded Hamas’ terrorist activity in the Gaza Strip by issuing commands and instructions to senior members of Hamas’ Military Wing.
Deif joined the Hamas terrorist organization during the First Intifada. He planned and directed numerous terror attacks and Hamas’ force build-up in Judea and Samaria, and was responsible for suicide bombing attacks on Israeli civilians.
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant posted a photo of himself crossing Deif off a list of targets:
Deif joins a growing list of senior Hamas and Hezbollah officials whom Israel has killed in recent days as it ramps up pressure on Iran’s local terrorist proxies and moves toward victory in Gaza.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of “”The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of “The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency,” now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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