Who is Mohammad Deif, the Commander and Possible Mastermind Behind Hamas's Recent Attack on Israel?

Israel referred to Hamas's attack last week as a moment akin to September 11. However, Mohammad Deif, the Palestinian commander and the hidden mastermind behind this military attack, announced in a voice recording released on Saturday that this attack was in response to Israel's assault on Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, using the phrase 'Flood of Al-Aqsa.' According to a source close to Hamas, Deif began planning this operation in May 2021, following Israel's attack on Al-Aqsa, the third holiest site for Muslims. This operation resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and injuries to over 2,700. The source in Gaza stated, 'Images of Israel's assault on Al-Aqsa during Ramadan and the attacks on worshippers, beating and dragging the elderly and young from the mosque courtyard ignited this anger.' Two years after this attack, which ultimately led to a ceasefire after 11 days, Saturday's attack was the heaviest blow to Israel since the start of the Arab-Israeli conflicts in 1973. This attack prompted Israel to declare war and carry out retaliatory strikes on Gaza, resulting in the deaths of 1,055 people and injuries to another 5,000. Israel also announced on Wednesday that it had killed at least 1,000 armed Palestinian men who had infiltrated from Gaza. Deif, who has survived seven assassination attempts by Israel, the latest in 2021, rarely speaks and never appears in public. For this reason, when Hamas's television network announced that he would speak on Saturday, Palestinians knew something significant was happening. In this audio file, Deif said, 'Today, the anger of Al-Aqsa, the anger of our nation and country is exploding. O fighters, today is your day to make this criminal understand that his time is up.' There are only three images of Deif: one in his 20s, another with a mask, and an image of his shadow used during the audio broadcast. Although he is likely confined in Gaza and in the maze of underground tunnels, his hiding place remains unknown. An Israeli security source stated that Deif was directly involved in planning and executing the attack. According to a Palestinian source, one of the houses in Gaza targeted by Israeli air forces was Mohammad Deif's family home. Sources say his brother and two other family members were killed in this attack. According to a source close to Hamas, the decision to prepare for this attack was jointly made by Deif and Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, but Deif is the principal architect of the operation. A local source familiar with the group also stated that the preparations for this operation were so secretive that even Iran, a significant source of financial, educational, and military support for Hamas, was unaware of the timing and details. Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, stated on Tuesday that Tehran had no involvement in the attack on Israel. Washington also stated that while Tehran supports Hamas, there is no evidence of direct Iranian participation in these attacks. Deif's efforts in designing this plan focused on deceiving Israel. Israel had come to believe that Hamas was not interested in conflict and instead focused on economic development in Gaza, the stronghold of this movement. However, as Israel began offering economic incentives to Gaza workers, Hamas forces were preparing for an attack. Ali Barakeh, the head of Hamas's foreign relations, said, 'We have been preparing for this battle for two years.' In the obtained audio file, Deif, in a calm voice, warned Israel to cease its crimes against Palestinians and release prisoners who, according to him, have been tortured, and to end the occupation of Palestinian lands. He stated that given the disregard for international laws and resolutions, along with the support of the U.S. and the West and international silence, Hamas decided to put an end to all of this. This militant leader, born Mohammad Masri in 1965 in the Khan Younis refugee camp—established after the Arab-Israeli war in 1948—became known as Mohammad Deif after joining Hamas during the First Intifada or Palestinian uprising in 1987. A Hamas source said he was arrested by Israel in 1989 and spent about 16 months in detention. Deif obtained a degree in science from the Islamic University of Gaza, where he studied physics, chemistry, and biology. He showed an interest in the arts and headed the university's entertainment committee, performing in comedy shows. Deif strengthened the network of tunnels used by Hamas and its expertise in bomb-making. For decades, he has been at the top of Israel's most-wanted list and has personally been responsible for the deaths of dozens of Israelis in suicide bombings. For Deif, staying in the shadows has been vital. Hamas sources have said that he lost one eye and suffered serious injuries to a leg in one of Israel's assassination attempts. His wife, seven-month-old son, and three-year-old daughter were killed in an Israeli airstrike in 2014. His survival while managing Hamas's armed wing has earned him the status of a popular hero among Palestinians. In images, he either has a mask on or is only seen as a shadow. A source close to Hamas said he never uses modern digital technologies like smartphones. This article is a translation of a Reuters report.