Mohammed Deif

Mohammed Deif (Arabic: محمّد الضيف, romanized: Muḥammad Ḍayf; born Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Masri;[3] 1965) is a Palestinian militant and supreme military commander of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.

Mohammed Deif
محمّد ضيف‎
Born
Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri

1965 (age 57–58)
Khan Yunis, Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip
NationalityPalestinian
Other namesAbu Khaled, The cat with nine lives ('The Guest')[1]
EducationBachelor of Science
Alma materIslamic University of Gaza
Years active2002–present
Known forCommander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
Spouse
Widad Asfoura
​
​
(m. 2007; died 2014)​
[2]
Children2 (deceased)
Military career
Allegiance Hamas
Service/branchIzz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
RankCommander
Battles/wars

Mohammad Masri was born in 1965 in the Khan Yunis Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip that was set up after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Soon after joining Hamas in 1990, he became known as Mohammed Deif (meaning "guest" in Arabic), due to his nomadic lifestyle.[4]

Despite being the Israeli military's 'most wanted' man since 1995 for orchestrating the killings of Israeli soldiers and civilians, he has survived seven assassination attempts in the past two decades.[5] In the first assassination attempt on his life, he is thought to have lost an eye, and in the second, to have lost a part of his arm; he is thought to be handicapped.[6] Deif's wife, 7-month infant son, and 3-year-old daughter were killed by an Israeli airstrike in 2014.[7] The most recent Israeli attempt to kill Deif was during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021.[8]

The United States Department of State added Deif to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists on 8 September 2015.[9][10]

Early life

Deif was born Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Masri in the Khan Yunis refugee camp south of the Gaza Strip in 1965, to a Palestinian refugee family from al-Qubeiba who were forced to leave their village during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.[11][12]

Deif joined the Hamas movement at the end of 1987. He returned to complete his education at the Islamic University of Gaza, where he graduated in 1988 after obtaining a bachelor's degree in science.[11]

During this time at the Islamic University, Deif created the theater group al-Ayedun, The Returnees, as he is known for his passion for acting, playing several roles, including historical figures.[13]

The military wing of Hamas, al-Qassam Brigades, was established by Deif and his colleagues after his release from Israeli prison in 1989, where he spent 16 months detained without charge.[11]

During the 1990s, he participated in and supervised military operations against Israel.[11]

Militant career

Hamas

Deif joined Hamas in 1990 with the help of Yahya Ayyash and Adnan al-Ghoul, his long time associates.[14] In 1994, Deif was involved in the kidnappings and killing of IDF soldiers Shahar Simani, Aryeh Frankenthal and Nachshon Wachsman. He was personally responsible, along with Yahya Ayyash, for the bus bombings in Jerusalem and Ashkelon, attacks that killed about 50 Israelis. Five suicide bombers he sent into Israel in March 2000 were killed by Yamam. After his release from PA prison in April 2001, he was involved in a 'wave of bombing attacks' that lasted several months during the second intifada.[5]

Deif became the supreme military commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades after Israel assassinated Salah Shehade in July 2002.[15] Israel holds him directly responsible for the murder of dozens of civilians in numerous suicide bombings since 1995, among them the Jaffa Road bus bombings in Jerusalem. He along with Nidal Fat'hi Rabah Farahat and Adnan al-Ghoul played a key role in the attacks perpetrated in Israel. Deif has been the top of Israel's most wanted list for over two decades.

In February 2006, some Israeli media argued that Deif would build an Al Qaeda network in the Gaza Strip since he did not support the approach of Hamas. This claim, however, was denied by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.[14]

Assassination attempts

He has survived five Israeli air strikes, which caused him serious injuries and handicaps. Despite initial reports of his death in an Israeli air strike on 27 September 2002, an Israeli intelligence official confirmed that he survived the attack.[16] His senior assistant, Adnan al-Ghoul, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on 21 October 2004.[17]

In the early morning hours of 12 July 2006, an Israeli F16 aircraft bombed a house in which high-level ranking Hamas leaders were meeting. Deif survived the blast, but severely injured his spine.[18] After this event, Ahmed Jabari became the acting commander of Hamas military wing Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.[19]

On 19 August 2014, the Israeli air force conducted an airstrike on a house in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Radwan in Gaza City[20] that killed Deif's wife (27-year-old Widad Asfoura),[21] two of his children (7-month-old son Ali and 3-year-old daughter Sara), as well as three other civilians.[22][23][24] Hamas denied that Deif was killed.[3][25][26] In April 2015, Israeli media citing intelligence sources confirmed that Deif had survived the assassination attempt.[27]

During Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021, it was reported that Israel military had tried to kill Deif twice in one week but that he got away at the last minute both times.[8]

Quotes

In December 2010, the Hamas movement marked the 23rd anniversary of its establishment with an official booklet entitled The Path of Glory (Darb al-ezza), which includes statements by Hamas military leaders alongside statistical and numerical data on military operations carried out against Israel.

Mohammed Deif wrote: "The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades ... are better prepared to continue on our exclusive path to which there is no alternative, and that is the path of jihad and the fight against the enemies of the Muslim nation and mankind.... We say to our enemies: you are going on the path to extinction (zawal), and Palestine will remain ours including Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Al-Aqsa (mosque), its towns and villages from the [Mediterranean Sea] to the [Jordan River], from its North to its South. You have no right to even an inch of it."[28]

On 14 December 2022, Al Deif issued a Statement during the 35th Anniversary Celebration to mark the Founding of Hamas. Deif said: "Let all the flags unite. Let all the fronts unite. Let all the platforms (of Resistance) to be opened towards a single goal, and that is the Liberation of Palestine."[29][30][31]

2023 Israel–Hamas war

Deif said in a recorded message on the first day of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, that it was in response to what he called the "desecration" of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Israel killing and wounding hundreds of Palestinians in 2023.[32] He called on Palestinians and Arab Israelis to "expel the occupiers and demolish the walls".[32][33][34] He continued, "in light of the continuing crimes against our people, in light of the orgy of occupation and its denial of international laws and resolutions, and in light of American and western support, we've decided to put an end to all this, so that the enemy understands that he can no longer revel without being held to account."[35][36]

References
  1. Messing, Dafna (11 May 2021). "Who are you, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, aka Muhammed Deif?". Alma Research and Education Center. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  2. "Thousands mourn slain wife, baby of Hamas commander". GMA News Online. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  3. "Hamas Confirms: Mohammed Deif is Still Alive". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  4. Messing, Dafna (11 May 2021). "Who are you, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, aka Muhammed Deif?". Alma Research and Education Center. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  5. "Who is Mohammed Deif?". Haaretz. 20 August 2014.
  6. "Mohammed al-Deif lives". Al Monitor. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  7. "Body of Deif's daughter, 3, pulled from Gaza rubble". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  8. "Israel tried to kill Hamas chief Mohammed Deif twice in Gaza operation". Jerusalem Post. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  9. "US Blacklists 4 Hamas, Hezbollah Operatives". The New York Times. 8 September 2015.
  10. "Terrorist Designations of Yahya Sinwar, Rawhi Mushtaha, and Muhammed Deif". United States Department of State. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  11. "Mohammed Deif, the Voice of War". Asharq Al-Awsat. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  12. "Who are the leaders of Hamas". France 24.
  13. "Who is Mohammed Deif? The shadowy Hamas commander known as 'The Guest'". Sky News. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  14. "Mohammad Deif – Head of the Armed Wing". IDF. 21 January 2012. Archived from the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  15. Asser, Martin (26 September 2002). "Profile: Hamas commander Mohammed Deif". BBC News. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  16. "Official: Hamas target survives Israeli attack". CNN. 27 September 2002. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  17. "Israel raid kills Gaza Hamas man". 22 October 2004. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  18. "Israel's Most Wanted Man Seriously Injured in Bombing". WLTX. Gaza City. AP. 12 July 2006. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  19. Chabin, Michele (14 November 2012). "Israelis brace for attacks after Hamas leader killed". USA Today. Jerusalem. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  20. "Israeli airstrikes target Hamas military chief in Gaza: report". Xinhua. 20 August 2014. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014.
  21. "Love in the time of Gaza: The story of Mohamed Al-Deif and his late wife Widad Asfoura". Middle East Monitor. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  22. Kershner, Isabel; Akram, Fares (20 August 2014). "After Strike on Family, Fate of Hamas Commander is Unknown". The New York Times.
  23. Levy, Elior (20 August 2014). "Hamas vows revenge for Deif's family". ynet. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  24. "Hamas Terror Chief's Daughter Killed in Strike Too - Middle East - News - Arutz Sheva". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  25. "Gaza killing resumes with peace talks in tatters". CBS News. 20 August 2014.
  26. "UPDATE 4-Gaza war rages on, Hamas says Israel tried to kill its military chief". Reuters. 20 August 2014.
  27. "Hamas military commander Deif said to be alive in Gaza Strip". The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  28. Lt. Col. (ret.) Jonathan D. Halevi (3 January 2011). "Talking to Hamas? – Increasing Expressions of Genocidal Intent by Hamas Leaders Against the Jews". Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  29. "Milli Gazete | The Honor Of The Ummah Hamas: 35 Years Old!". en.milligazete.com.tr. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  30. admin (14 December 2022). "Now Or Never: Hamas Leader Warns Israel Regarding Prisoners' Exchange Deal (PHOTOS)". Palestine Chronicle. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  31. "Resistance News Network". Telegram. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  32. Pacchiani, Gianluca (7 October 2023). "Hamas commander says attacks are in defense of Al-Aqsa, claims 5,000 missiles fired". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  33. חלבי, עינב (7 October 2023). מוחמד דף על מתקפת הרקטות: ישראל חיללה את אל-אקצא, קורא לערביי ישראל להצטרף [Mohammed Page on the rocket attack: Israel has blasphemed al-Aqsa, calls on the Israeli Arabs to join]. Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  34. "What We Know About the Hamas Attack and Israel's Response". The New York Times. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  35. Nakhoul, Samia; Bassam, Laila (11 October 2023). "How a secretive Hamas commander masterminded the attack on Israel". Reuters. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  36. "'The Guest': the Palestinian mastermind behind deadly Israel incursion". Financial Times. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
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