Quick Info
| Profession | Commander of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Palestinian |
| Date of Birth | 12/08/1965 |
| Age | 58 years (died on 13, Jul, 2024) |
| Birthplace | Khan Younis, Gaza Strip |
| Date of Death | 13/07/2024 |
Latest News about Mohammed Deif
28/02/2025
The International Criminal Court (ICC) cancelled the arrest warrant issued for Mohammed Deif in November 2024 after Hamas confirmed his death. The court had previously been unable to verify whether he had been killed, but the warrant was withdrawn in late February 2025 following the official confirmation.
30/01/2025
Hamas publicly confirmed that Mohammed Deif had been killed, ending months of uncertainty after Israel said he died in a July 13, 2024 airstrike in Khan Younis. The confirmation identified him as one of Hamas’s top military leaders and a principal planner of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
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Bio/Wiki
| Full name | Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri |
|---|---|
| Other Names |
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Physical Stats & More
| Lost an eye in an Israeli assassination attempt | |
| Sustained serious injuries to one leg in an Israeli assassination attempt | |
| Survived at least seven Israeli assassination attempts between 2001 and 2021 |
Educational Qualification(s)
| College/University | Islamic University, Gaza |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | Science degree |
Personal Life
| Religion | Islam |
|---|
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Widowed |
|---|---|
| Marriage Date | 01/01/2011 |
Family
| Wife/Spouse | Widad Asfoura (killed in 2014 airstrike) |
|---|---|
| Children |
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| Siblings | Abd al-Fattah Diab (deceased) |
Career
| Founding member of Hamas' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (1987) | |
| Detained by Israel for 16 months in 1989, charged with military involvement | |
| Agreed with Salah Shehade while imprisoned to form a military cell focused on capturing Israeli soldiers | |
| Became head of Hamas' armed wing in July 2002 after Salah Shehade's assassination | |
| Established military training academy for the Qassam Brigades | |
| Oversaw production of rockets and missiles in Gaza | |
| Credited with designing Hamas Qassam rockets and tunnel networks beneath Gaza | |
| Masterminded rocket-launching techniques, suicide bus bombings, soldier kidnappings, and tunnel-digging operations | |
| Orchestrated Operation Al-Aqsa Storm (October 7, 2023 attack on Israel) | |
| Survived at least seven Israeli assassination attempts between 2001 and 2021 | |
| Designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by US Department of State | |
| On Israel's 'most wanted' list for over 20 years | |
| Issued arrest warrant by International Criminal Court (ICC) in November 2024, cancelled in late February 2025 after death confirmation |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri is a Palestinian militant and a prominent leader of Hamas. | |
| 2. He serves as the supreme military commander of Hamas’ military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. | |
| 3. Over the years, he adopted a nomadic lifestyle to avoid detection and targeting by Israel. | |
| 4. Born to Palestinian refugee parents in Khan Yunis Refugee Camp in Gaza. | |
| 5. He briefly left school to support his family before earning a science degree from the Islamic University in Gaza. | |
| 6. Hamas was established by Palestinian imam Ahmed Yassin after the First Intifada in 1987. | |
| 7. His ties with Hamas began in 1990 through his associates Yahya Ayyash and Adnan al-Ghoul. | |
| 8. Deif was involved in numerous terrorist attacks against Israel during the 1990s. | |
| 9. He led the abduction and killing of IDF soldiers Shahar Simani, Aryeh Frankenthal, and Nachshon Wachsman in 1994. | |
| 10. Despite multiple Israeli assassination attempts, he has survived. | |
| 11. Often called 'the cat with nine lives' by the media. | |
| 12. After his wife, Widad Asfoura, was killed in a 2014 airstrike, his mother-in-law offered him her other daughters for marriage. | |
| 13. In 2021, he issued a stern warning regarding the eviction of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, vowing retaliation against Israel. | |
| 14. In 2023, he orchestrated Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise multi-front attack on Israel. | |
| 15. Born to Palestinian refugee parents in Khan Younis Refugee Camp in Gaza. | |
| 16. His ties with Hamas began in the late 1980s through his associates Yahya Ayyash and Adnan al-Ghoul. | |
| 17. Deif was involved in numerous attacks against Israel during the 1990s and early 2000s. | |
| 18. He led operations resulting in the deaths of Israeli soldiers including Shahar Simani, Aryeh Frankenthal, and Nachshon Wachsman in 1994. | |
| 19. Rarely photographed or filmed, maintaining extreme operational security throughout his life. | |
| 20. His mentor was Yahya Ayyash, renowned for building Hamas bombs and weaponry. | |
| 21. During the 2014 Gaza-Israel war, he was responsible for launching attacks during humanitarian ceasefires. | |
| 22. Killed in an Israeli airstrike on 13 July 2024 in the al-Mawasi neighborhood of Khan Yunis | |
| 23. Hamas publicly confirmed his death on 30 January 2025, ending months of uncertainty |