Israel says it killed Hamas leader in bombing that killed 90

The Israeli army confirmed on Thursday (1st) the death of Mohammed Deif, military leader of Hamas. The attack targeted a compound on the outskirts of Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, and resulted in the deaths of more than 90 people, including civilians displaced in nearby tents.

“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) announced that on July 13, 2024, IDF fighter jets bombed the Khan Yunis area and, following an intelligence assessment, it is possible to confirm that Mohammed Deif was eliminated in the attack,” a military statement said.

The announcement comes shortly after the killing in Tehran of the leader of the terrorist group’s political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, in an attack that Iran and Hamas blamed on Israel.

“Deif initiated, planned and executed the October 7 massacre,” the army said in reference to the Hamas attack on southern Israel that left 1,200 dead, according to a tally based on data released by Israeli authorities.

Mohammed Deif was number 3 in the Hamas hierarchy, behind Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas chief in Gaza whose whereabouts are unknown.

The alleged 900-kilogram bomb dropped by the Israeli army around the house where they suspected Deif was taking refuge with one of his aides left a huge crater. However, Hamas denied that the military commander was among the victims.

Speaking to the BBC World Service, one of the doctors at a hospital treating the wounded on July 13, Mohammed Abu Rayy, said it was “one of the darkest days” since the fighting began and that most of the victims who arrived at the hospital were already dead. Others were suffering from multiple shrapnel wounds. Many women and children arrived at the scene injured.