The death of Hamas’ military leader, Mohammed Deif, has been confirmed by the Israeli military following an airstrike in Gaza last month. Deif was believed to be one of the masterminds behind Hamas’ attack on southern Israel that triggered the ongoing Gaza war. He was a prominent figure within Hamas, having risen through the ranks over 30 years and was responsible for numerous suicide bombings targeting Israelis. The Israeli military reported that Deif was killed in an airstrike in Khan Younis on July 13th.
Hamas has not yet responded to the Israeli announcement of Deif’s death, which came on the heels of the assassination of the group’s political leader in Teheran. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 39,000 Palestinians and the injury of over 91,000. International responses to the deaths within Hamas have been mixed, with China expressing hopes for Palestinian independence and Indonesian President Joko Widodo condemning the violence.
In addition to Deif’s death, footage of the funeral procession of Al Jazeera journalist Ismail al-Ghoul, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, has been shared by the Palestinian Quds News Network. The funeral of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ political leader, has also begun in Tehran, with Iranian leaders and Hamas officials addressing mourners. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has criticized Meta for removing a Facebook post regarding Haniyeh’s death, accusing the company of working as a tool of Israel.
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