Born in 1965 in southern Gaza, Mohammed Deif was a refugee from a poor background. He earned a degree from the Islamic University of Gaza.
Joining Hamas
Deif joined Hamas in 1987 during the first Palestinian intifada and was arrested by Israel for 16 months on charges of military involvement. During his imprisonment, he and fellow Hamas prisoner Salah Shehadeh formed a military cell within Hamas that focused on capturing Israeli soldiers.
Undercover and the Qassam Brigades
After Israel assassinated several senior Hamas leaders in the 1990s, Deif went underground and moved to the occupied West Bank, where he established a branch of the Qassam Brigades. He often stayed in the homes of Hamas supporters, and was given the nom de guerre “Deif,” which means guest in Arabic.
The kidnapping of Nahshon Wachsman
In 1994, Deif led the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Nahshon Wachsman, which Hamas hoped would pressure Israel to release its founder, Ahmed Yassin. The failed Israeli rescue attempt resulted in the deaths of Wachsman, three Palestinian fighters, and an Israeli soldier.
Arrest and Escape
In May 2000, Palestinian Authority security forces captured him, but he escaped with the help of guards seven months later. Yasser Arafat ordered Deif to be re-arrested, dead or alive.”
Military Training and Development Academy
After the death of Qassam Brigades leader Salah Shehadeh, Deif took over in July 2002 and remained in charge until his death more than two decades later. As commander, he established a military training and development academy, oversaw the production of rockets and missiles in Gaza, and purchased weapons from abroad.
Assassination Attempts
Israeli forces attempted to assassinate Deif at least seven times between 2001 and 2021, earning him the nickname “the cat with seven lives” among his opponents.
2014 Assassination Attempt
In 2014, they attempted to assassinate Hamas leader Deif during a six-week war on Gaza but failed and the attempt resulted in the deaths of his wife, daughter and son.
2021 Conflict
In May 2021, he warned Israel against deploying ground forces, warning that it would pay a heavy price if it did not withdraw from Sheikh Jarrah in occupied East Jerusalem. A two-week war ensued, in which Israeli forces killed 256 Palestinians and Palestinian groups killed 15 people in Israel.
2023 Attack
On October 7, 2023, Deif announced a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing around 1,100 people and capturing 250 others in Gaza. It is widely believed that he and Sinwar planned the attack.
The International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Deif, Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, the former Hamas leader, for the killing and capture of hundreds of Israeli civilians on October 7!
The ICC prosecutor said the three Hamas leaders bear criminal responsibility for crimes against humanity, including murder and genocide, as well as war crimes such as hostage-taking and cruel treatment of prisoners. Israel killed all three leaders before the arrest warrant was issued.
Martyrdom of the Chief of Staff of the Qassam Brigades
In a statement on January 30, Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), mourned the Chief of Staff of the Qassam Brigades, Muhammad Deif.
Abu Obeida said in a videotaped speech, "We announce to our great people the martyrdom of the Chief of Staff of the Qassam Brigades, Muhammad Deif."
Abu Obeida announced, "the martyrdom of a group of senior mujahideen from the members of the Qassam Military Council."
Abu Obeida explained that the martyrs are Chief of Staff of the Qassam Brigades Muhammad Deif, and a number of leaders, most notably Marwan Issa, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Qassam Brigades, Commander of the Weapons and Combat Services Section Ghazi Abu Tama'a, Commander of the Human Resources Section Raed Thabet, and Commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade Rafeh Salama.
He pointed out that the martyrdom of the Commander of the Northern Brigade, Ahmed al-Ghandour, and the Commander of the Central Governorate Brigade, Ayman Nofal, had previously been announced during the battle.
