Israel says it killed top Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif

Israel claimed on Thursday that it killed Hamas’ top military commander, Mohammad Deif, during a strike earlier in July. 

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it launched a strike in Gaza on July 13 while targeting two top Hamas leaders. Deif, who the IDF said was the mastermind behind the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, was one of the targets. 

"Mohammed Deif, the top military commander of Hamas, was the target of an Israeli strike today in al-Mawasi," two Israeli sources told Fox News Digital after the attack. 

There was no confirmation of Deif’s death until Thursday.

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"Muhammad Deif, the ‘Osama Bin Laden of Gaza,’ was eliminated on 13.07.24," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement. "This is a significant milestone in the process of dismantling Hamas as a military and governing authority in Gaza, and in the achievement of the goals of this war."

According to the IDF, Deif initiated, planned and executed the October 7th terror attacks, in which 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel and 251 hostages abducted into the Gaza Strip by Hamas terrorists. 

"Over the years, Deif directed, planned, and carried out numerous terrorist attacks against the State of Israel," the IDF said. "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." 

Israel on Tuesday said that it killed Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon. On Wednesday, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was reportedly assassinated while he was in Tehran, Iran.

This is a developing story.