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
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 |
Educational Qualification(s)
| College/University | Islamic University, Gaza |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | Science degree |
Personal Life
| Religion | Islam |
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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 |
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. |