Hamas announces death of Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif

Hamas’s armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, announced on Thursday night the killing of its military leader, Mohammed Deif, and deputy military commander Marwan Issa in combat.

Israel initially announced in August 2024 that Deif had been killed in a July air strike, but his death had not been confirmed since.

According to the Israeli military, Issa was killed in March last year. At the time, senior Hamas officials told Al Jazeera that the group’s political bureau had not received evidence of Issa’s death.

Chief of al-Qassam Brigades Abu Obeida also confirmed the killing of several other Hamas military commanders, including Ghazi Abu Tamaa, the commander of weapons and combat services, Raed Thabet, commander of manpower and head of supplies unit, and Rafei Salama, the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade.