In the final months before his death, Mohammed Deif, the commander-in-chief of the Al-Qassam Brigades, operated without his personal security detail, according to sources within Hamas. Deif, who led the October 7, 2023, attack, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on July 13, 2024, in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis.
The Final Journey: From Gaza City to the South
Sources familiar with the movements of the Al-Qassam leader stated that Deif was in Gaza City at the onset of the October 7, 2023, attacks. He remained in the northern city until early November 2023, even as Israeli forces advanced. Despite advice from other Hamas leaders—including Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, who later assumed a command role before his own death in May 2025—to remain in Gaza City where security could be provided, Deif chose to move south. According to these accounts, Deif departed Gaza City alone, unaccompanied by his usual security detail. During his transit toward Rafah, he faced significant logistical challenges. At one point, communication with the leader was lost for more than four days after he failed to connect with an intended contact. During this period, Deif reportedly navigated the streets of Rafah and even spent one night in a local mosque without being identified. Sources noted that his ability to remain undetected was aided by the lack of clear, recent imagery of him held by Israeli intelligence and his low profile among the general public.
Intelligence Gaps and Identification
For years, Mohammed Deif remained a figure of intense mystery, characterized by extreme caution. While he had appeared in various military sites and activities over the years, Israeli intelligence struggled to confirm his identity or physical condition. The eventual identification of Deif by Israeli forces relied on visual evidence discovered during military operations.
The Airstrike in Al-Mawasi
On July 13, 2024, Israeli warplanes struck an open area in Al-Mawasi, Khan Yunis, dropping tons of explosives on a small building over the course of approximately three minutes. The intensity of the attack signaled that the target was of high strategic importance. While Israel confirmed the assassination of Deif shortly after the strike, Hamas initially denied the claims, with some leadership figures believing he was still in Gaza City or potentially hiding in tunnel networks. However, sources clarified that Deif had largely avoided using tunnels throughout the conflict. The site targeted in the strike belonged to Rafe Salama, the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade, who was killed alongside Deif. Also killed in the strike were several of Salama’s children and security personnel affiliated with Al-Qassam. Hamas officially acknowledged the deaths of Deif, Salama, and other senior leaders, including Marwan Issa, on January 30, 2025.
Hamas Response to Reporting
Following recent media reports detailing the circumstances of Deif’s final months, the Al-Qassam Brigades issued a statement via their Telegram channel. The group denied the accuracy of the information provided by these sources, stating that the reports did not rely on official resistance sources. The Brigades emphasized that their military media remains the sole official reference for news regarding their activities. Despite these denials, the anniversary of his death in July 2026 has seen widespread public reflection on his long tenure as a leader of the armed wing of Hamas, marking the end of a career that spanned more than four decades of clandestine operation.
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