Mohammed Deif
محمّد الضيف‎
Israeli ID photo of Mohammed Deif c. 1990
Born
Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri

1965 (age 57–58)
Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip (under Egyptian rule)
Other namesAbu Khaled (kunya)
The mastermind (Palestinian nickname)
The cat with nine lives (Israeli nickname)
EducationBachelor of Science
Alma materIslamic University of Gaza
Years active1987–present
TitleHead of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
Term2002–present
PredecessorSalah Shehade
Spouse
Widad Asfoura
​
​
(m. 2007; died 2014)​
Children4 (2 deceased)
Military career
Allegiance Hamas (Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades)
Battles/wars

Mohammed Deif (Arabic: محمّد الضيف), born Mohammed al-Masri (Arabic: محمد المصري), is a Palestinian militant and the head of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamist organization Hamas.

Born in 1965 in the Khan Yunis Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip that was set up after the 1948 Palestine War, Mohammed al-Masri joined Hamas in 1987 and became known as Mohammed Deif, meaning 'guest' in Arabic, due to the nomadic lifestyle that he adopted to avoid being targeted. He became the head of the al-Qassam Brigades in 2002, and has since developed the group's capabilities and masterminded the construction of underground tunnels for military use.

Despite being the Israeli military's 'most wanted' man since 1995 for killing Israeli soldiers and civilians, Deif has survived at least seven assassination attempts since 2001, the most recent of which came during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. The attempts have left him handicapped as he lost an eye and limbs. His wife, infant son, and 3-year-old daughter were killed in 2014 in one such attempt.

The United States Department of State added Deif to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists in 2015.

Early life

Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri was born in 1965 in the Khan Younis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip.[1][2] His family originates from al-Qubeiba, which was depopulated in the 1948 Palestine war.[3][4] According to the Shin Bet, either his father or his uncle had participated in sporadic raids into Israel conducted by Palestinian militants in the 1950s.[5][6] Although not much is known about the details of his early life and upbringing,[7] he reportedly had to temporarily drop out of school to support his low-income family, working with his father in upholstery and later starting a small poultry farm.[3][8] It is understood that he studied chemistry at the Islamic University of Gaza,[9][10] from which he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in 1988.[11]

During his years at the university, he had a passion for theatre, establishing a theatre group called "The Returners", in reference to Palestinian refugees longing to return to the lands they lived on before to the Nakba.[9][11] He played a number of roles, including those of historical figures.[8]

Early militant career

Deif joined Hamas in 1987, weeks after its establishment during the First Intifada,[3][10] and was arrested by Israeli authorities in 1989 for his involvement with the organization.[12] After 16 months of detention, he was released in a prisoner exchange, only to help establish the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, soon after.[10][11]

Deif was close to Emad Akel and Yahya Ayyash, who were assassinated by Israel in 1993 and 1996 respectively.[12][7] From the latter, he learnt bombmaking,[13] after whose assassination he started to lower his profile, going off the radar to avoid being targeted.[9] During the 1990s and early 2000s, he was behind a number of suicide bombing attacks,[14][15][16] including the Jaffa Road bus bombings in 1996.[17][18] He also oversaw the kidnappings and later killings of Israeli soldiers Shahar Simani, Aryeh Frankenthal and Nachshon Wachsman in the 1990s.[19]

In May 2000, Deif was arrested at Israel's request by the Palestinian National Authority,[3][20][21] but escaped in December with assistance from some of his guards.[22]

Leader of the al-Qassam Brigades

Deif became the head of the al-Qassam Brigades after Israel assassinated Salah Shehade in July 2002.[23] Between July 2006 and November 2012, effective command was exercised by Deif's deputy, Ahmed Jabari, after Deif was seriously wounded in an Israeli assassination attempt.[18][24]

In September 2015, the US Department of State added Deif and three other Hamas leaders to the American list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists.[25][26]

Strategy

Deif has been credited with transforming the al-Qassam Brigades from a cluster of amateur cells to organized military units, described as an 'army,' that are capable of invading Israel.[10] His military strategy has been dubbed the 'above and below' strategy, built on attacking Israeli territory with rockets and constructing underground tunnels to be used in infiltrating the border with Israel.[14]

Assassination attempts

Deif has been on top of Israel's 'most wanted list' since 1995.[13][27] As of October 2023, he has survived seven Israeli assassination attempts.[7] The first attempt on his life was by an airstrike in 2001, before he assumed the leadership of the al-Qassam Brigades.[8][28][29] Israel tried again to kill Deif in September 2002 by a strike on his car.[30][31] Video footage from that attempt show Deif covered in blood as a man drags him away.[32]

In 2003 and in July 2006, Israel tried again by striking a house that hosted a meeting of the Hamas leadership.[8][28][33] It is also said that the July 2006 attempt was an airstrike on the house of one of Deif's lecturers in university when Deif was visiting him.[10]

In August 2014, during the 2014 Gaza War, the Israeli air force attempted to assassinate him with an airstrike on a house in Sheikh Radwan in Gaza City.[34] Hamas denied that Deif was killed,[35][36] which was confirmed by Israeli intelligence in 2015.[18][37] In May 2021, during 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis, the Israel military tried to kill Deif twice in one week, but both attempts proved unsuccessful.[38]

It is believed that the seven assassination attempts have lost Deif an eye and limbs,[7] leaving him wheelchair-bound.[39] After the 2006 assassination attempt, Deif spent three months in Egypt for treatment of his skull after shrapnel lodged in it, and he continues to take tranquillizers daily to treat headaches.[10][40] Hamas has not confirmed or denied these claims and doesn't comment on his health.[3][41] His survival has earned him the nickname 'the cat with nine lives' among his Israeli adversaries.[9][42][43]

2023 Israel–Hamas war

As the highest-ranking leader of the al-Qassam Brigades, Deif was involved in orchestrating the surprise attack on Israel that commenced the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, which he began planning in the lead up to the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, motivated by scenes of Israeli forces storming Al-Aqsa during Ramadan.[2] The decision to launch the attack was taken jointly by Deif and Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.[44][45]

After the attack, a Reuters report stated that over the previous two years, Deif deceived Israel into believing Hamas was not interested in another round of conflict.[2][46] This deception campaign involved a decision not to participate in the clashes between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in August 2022 and May 2023, putting Israel under the impression that Hamas "was not ready for a fight" and could be contained by providing economic incentives to Gazan workers.[47]

On the day of the attack, Deif gave an audio address, his first since 2021, justifying it as a response to the "desecration" of the Al-Aqsa mosque and the killing and wounding of hundreds of Palestinians in 2023.[13][43][48] He called on Palestinians and Arab Israelis to "expel the occupiers and demolish the walls".[48][49] Announcing the start of "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm," Deif said that "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."[2][5]

Public image

Grafitti in Huwara, Nablus during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. The phrase "Men of Deif" appears on the wall.

Deif, the nom de guerre that Mohammed al-Masri takes, means 'guest' in Arabic. This is said to refer to the fact that he stays in a different house each night as a precaution against Israeli attacks.[50] Another explanation says that the name comes from a theatre role he played in his earlier years.[9] He is also known by his kunya Abu Khaled.

There are only two known photos of Deif, the more recent of which having been taken in the year 2000.[51][52] He never appears in public,[2] and he rarely gives recorded audio addresses.[13] His whereabouts are unknown, but it is likely that he stays in the underground tunnel networks in Gaza.[53]

In spite of his elusiveness,[13] he is highly popular amongst Palestinians for his hardline stance against Israel,[13] and has become a 'folk hero' for his survival of many assassination attempts,[54] and is nicknamed 'the mastermind' by Palestinians.[55] As a sign of his popularity, his name has been featured in protest slogans such as: "Put the sword before the sword, we are the men of Mohammed Deif."[4][45][56] His position as a military leader rather than a political one has shielded him from criticism of the Hamas administration of the Gaza Strip.[14]

Personal life

Deif married in 2007.[57] His wife, Widad Asfoura, his infant son and 3 year-old daughter were killed in the 2014 assassination attempt.[2][58] A video clip posted on YouTube in February 2022 showed the graduation ceremony of Bahaa and Khaled, two other sons of Deif.[59]

Deif's mother died in 2011,[8] and his father in 2022.[60]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Messing, Dafna (11 May 2021). "Who are you, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, aka Muhammed Deif?". Alma Research and Education Center. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nakhoul, Samia; Bassam, Laila (11 October 2023). "Who is Mohammed Deif, the Hamas commander behind the attack on Israel?". Reuters. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Who Is Mohammed Deif? Hamas' Elusive Commander Remains A Mystery Figure". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  4. 1 2 O'Connor, Tom (13 October 2023). "Mohammed Deif, Che Guevara to Gaza, Bin Laden to Israel, faces last stand". Newsweek. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  5. 1 2 Srivastava, Mehul (8 October 2023). "Who is 'The Guest': the Palestinian mastermind behind deadly Israel incursion". Financial Times. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  6. ↑ Sofuoglu, Murat. "Who is Mohammed Deif — the military leader of Hamas?". Who is Mohammed Deif — the military leader of Hamas?. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Mohammed Deif: The one-eyed Hamas chief in Israel's crosshairs". BBC News. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mohammed Deif, the Voice of War". english.aawsat.com. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Raghavan, Sudarsan (2 August 2014). "Mohammed Deif, the shadowy figure who heads Hamas's military wing". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Hamas' deadly 'phantom': the man behind the attacks". Australian Financial Review. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 Ziboun, Kifah (28 August 2014). "From the Spotlight to the Shadows". Asharq Al-Awsat. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Has Hamas military chief, Mohammed Deif, escaped death again?". Reuters. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Who is Mohammed Deif? The shadowy Hamas commander known as 'The Guest'". Sky News. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  14. 1 2 3 "Mohammed Deif, the elusive architect of Hamas's attack on Israel". France 24. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  15. ↑ Burke, Jason (7 November 2023). "A deadly cascade: how secret Hamas attack orders were passed down at last minute". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  16. ↑ "Israel's most wanted man: Who is Mohammed Deif, the military commander behind Hamas' attack". CNA. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  17. ↑ "Who is Mohammed Deif?". nationthailand. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 "Who is Mohammed Deif, the elusive Hamas commander behind the attack on Israel?". cnbctv18.com. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  19. ↑ "Who Is Mohammed Deif?". Haaretz. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  20. ↑ "Hamas Says Fugitive Seized in Raid". AP NEWS. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  21. ↑ Hockstader, Lee (15 May 2000). "Terror Suspect Being Detained By Palestinians". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  22. ↑ Hockstader, Lee (8 December 2000). "Key Militant Escapes From Palestinian Jail". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  23. ↑ Asser, Martin (26 September 2002). "Profile: Hamas commander Mohammed Deif". BBC News. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  24. ↑ "Hamas's deadly "phantom": the man behind the attacks". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  25. ↑ AP and ToI Staff. "Arch-terrorists Kuntar, Deif put on US blacklist". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  26. ↑ "Terrorist Designations of Yahya Sinwar, Rawhi Mushtaha, and Muhammed Deif". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  27. ↑ "Who Is Mohammed Deif?". Haaretz. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  28. 1 2 Kershner, Isabel; Akram, Fares (20 August 2014). "After Strike on Family, Fate of Hamas Commander Is Unknown". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  29. ↑ "Who is Mohammed Deif whom Israel tried to assassinate several times". cnbctv18.com. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  30. ↑ "Official: Hamas target survives Israeli attack". CNN. 27 September 2002. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  31. ↑ Miller, Elhanan. "Is prime Israel target Muhammad Deif overseeing Hamas's strategy?". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  32. ↑ "Deep in Underground Tunnels, Mohammed Deif Shapes Hamas' War With Israel". The Forward. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  33. ↑ "Israel's Most Wanted Man Seriously Injured in Bombing". WLTX. Gaza City. AP. 12 July 2006. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  34. ↑ "Israeli airstrikes target Hamas military chief in Gaza: report". Xinhua. 20 August 2014. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014.
  35. ↑ "Hamas Confirms: Mohammed Deif is Still Alive". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  36. ↑ "Gaza killing resumes with peace talks in tatters". CBS News. 20 August 2014.
  37. ↑ "Hamas military commander Deif said to be alive in Gaza Strip". The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  38. ↑ "Israel tried to kill Hamas chief Mohammed Deif twice in Gaza operation". Jerusalem Post. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  39. ↑ "Who is Mohammed Deif: Palestinian militant behind Israel attack". 10 October 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  40. ↑ Miller, Elhanan. "Is prime Israel target Muhammad Deif overseeing Hamas's strategy?". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  41. ↑ Johny, Stanly (22 May 2021). "Who is Mohammed Deif, the Hamas chief". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  42. ↑ Bureau, ABP News (13 October 2023). "Israel-Gaza War: Who Is Mohammed Deif? The 'Shadowy' Hamas Leader Behind Israel Attack". news.abplive.com. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  43. 1 2 "Hamas masterminds key targets of Israel's 'dead man walking' threats". France 24. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  44. ↑ Sanz, Juan Carlos (18 October 2023). "Mohamed Deif and Yahya Sinwar, the masterminds of the Hamas attack who top Israel's most wanted list". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  45. 1 2 "Mohammed Deif, Hamas's shadow strategist". Le Monde.fr. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  46. ↑ "How Mastermind Mohammed Deif Planned Hamas' Attack on Israel From the Shadows". TimesNow. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  47. ↑ Nakhoul, Samia; Saul, Jonathan (10 October 2023). "How Hamas duped Israel as it planned devastating attack". Reuters. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  48. 1 2 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.
  49. ↑ "What We Know About the Hamas Attack and Israel's Response". The New York Times. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  50. ↑ Kiley, Sam (14 October 2023). "Who is El Deif, alleged mastermind of the Hamas attack?". CNN. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  51. ↑ "Mohammed Deif: Inside mind of Palestine's 'New Bin Laden' who masterminded Hamas attack on Israel". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  52. ↑ "Profile: Hamas's Qassam Brigade head Mohammed Deif". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  53. ↑ "Explained: Who is Mohammed Deif? The Hamas mastermind behind brutal attack on Israel". WION. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  54. ↑ "Hamas' Mohammed Deif, Israel attack mastermind, reveals why he launched 9/11 like assault". The Economic Times. 11 October 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  55. ↑ "Hamas: Who are the group's most prominent leaders?". BBC News. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  56. ↑ Tahhan, Zena Al. "Palestinian Authority cracks down on protests over Israel Gaza attacks". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  57. ↑ France-Presse, By SAKHER ABU EL OUN, Agence (20 August 2014). "Thousands mourn slain wife, baby of Hamas commander". GMA News Online. Retrieved 4 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  58. ↑ Mathis-Lilley, Ben (20 August 2014). "Airstrike Kills Wife and Child of Hamas' Military Commander, Rocket Designer". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  59. ↑ "Hamas Celebrates Military Commander Mohammed Deif During His Sons' Graduation Ceremony". MEMRI. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  60. ↑ Boxerman, Aaron. "Hamas announces death of military chief Mohammad Deif's father". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
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