Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi told reporters at a briefing Sunday evening that it is still too early to determine with absolute certainly whether Mohammed Deif, founder and chief of the Hamas Al-Qassam military wing, was killed Saturday in an Israeli air strike.
What is known, however, is that Deif’s #2, Hamas commander Rafah Salameh, was indeed eliminated in the strike, which involved the use of heavy bombs, the so-called ‘bunker buster’ munitions.
Salameh was one of the closest associates of Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas’ Al-Qassam military wing, and was one of the masterminds of the October 7th massacre.
Salameh joined the Hamas terrorist organization in the early 1990s and was appointed to the position of Commander of Hamas’ Khan Younis Al Qara’ra Battalion, under the command of Mohammed Sinwar.
Salamah played a significant role in the abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. During Operation Protective Edge in 2014, Salameh was in command of Hamas’ combat support and defensive plans.
In 2016, Salameh replaced Mohammed Sinwar as commander of the Khan Younis Brigade. In this position, Salameh was in command of the terrorist operatives in the Khan Yunis Brigade and was responsible for all launches of projectiles that were fired from the Khan Yunis area toward Israeli territory.
“The elimination of Rafah Salameh significantly impedes Hamas’ military capabilities,” the IDF said.
Because the two men were believed to be meeting in a Hamas terrorist compound in a relatively isolated spot in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, at least 70 other terrorists were killed in the strike with Salameh.
“In a joint operation by the IDF and the Shin Bet, we attacked a compound in Khan Younis where Muhammad Deif, the commander of the military wing of Hamas, was hiding: the man who planned and gave the order for the attack on October 7,” Halevi said.
“Beside him was Rafah Salmeh, commander of the Khan Younis Brigade, and with them other terrorists and other helpers.
“This attack was the result of an operational capability that we have built, which combines the advanced intelligence capabilities of the Shin Bet and IDF and the very high quality planning and execution capabilities of the Air Force.
“According to the intelligence available to us at the time of the strike, there were no hostages in the compound. According to the information that emerged after the strike, no hostages were harmed in the strike. It is very important for me to emphasize this.
“It is still too early to conclude the results of the strike, which Hamas is trying to hide. We are determined to continue and pursue senior Hamas officials, those who planned and carried out the October 7th massacre and dedicated their lives to the murder of innocent civilians.
“Mohammed Deif was afraid to die, so he hid in a way that even damaged his ability to command. He hid and sacrificed with him his people and civilians who were in the area, who were in danger, very few of whom were harmed.
“We found him; we will also find those next in line.”
