Israeli security officials ‘certain’ Hamas #2 chief is dead – report

Hamas has repeatedly denied that Deif was killed in the attack and has even said he is ‘doing fine.’

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

An Israeli Channel 12 report claims a unanimous security establishment assessment has concluded that Hamas leader Mohammed Deif was killed in an IDF strike on Saturday in southern Gaza.

For days, there has been speculation about whether Deif was alive or dead following an operation that killed Hamas deputy Rafa’a Salameh at a compound in the Al-Mawasi area.

According to an unsourced Channel 12 report, “The assessment of all in the Israeli security establishment” is that Deif was also “eliminated” along with Rafa’a Salameh, whose death the IDF and Shin Bet had confirmed earlier.

The report added that security officials were “certain” Deif was dead and that he was in the same building with Salameh during the IDF’s operation.

During a press conference held by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the operation, he said that it was “not yet absolutely certain” whether Deif was dead or alive.

Hamas has repeatedly denied that Deif was killed in the attack and has even said he is “doing fine.”

A top Hamas official told AFP on Sunday that Deif was “fine” despite the assassination attempt. “Commander Mohammed Deif is well and directly overseeing” the terror group’s armed wing, the official said.

However, given that the death of Hamas’s number 2 leader would be a significant blow to the terror group, Israeli officials have warned that Hamas is likely to continue to deny that Israel has killed Deif.

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said Hamas was “trying to hide the results” of the attack.

Mohammed Deif was one of the three Hamas leaders, along with Yahya Sinwar and Ismael Haniyeh, who planned the October 7th massacre.

His death would be a significant setback for Hamas since Deif was central in the terror organization’s strategy and planning.

Deif was a key player in building Hamas from a guerilla terrorist organization to a military force backed by Iran.