To avoid digital surveillance from Israeli intelligence, Deif strictly eschewed smartphones and modern technology, communicating instead through a network of trusted couriers who delivered handwritten messages.
By Hezy Laing
Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas’s military wing, was killed on July 13, 2024, in a targeted Israeli airstrike.
The elimination of Deif, marked a pivotal turning point in the war in Gaza, creating a leadership vacuum that the organization has struggled to fill over the past two years.
Deif, who led the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades for more than two decades, was one of the key architects behind the October 7 massacre and had been a central figure in shaping Hamas’s combat doctrine, military buildup, and terrorist operations against Israel.
His death, confirmed by Hamas in January 2025, removed not only the organization’s most senior commander but also a figure of immense symbolic and cognitive importance.
Deif’s role extended far beyond operational command.
His ability to survive multiple assassination attempts over the years, combined with his rare public appearances, had elevated him to the status of a living legend within Hamas, embodying the continuity of its military leadership.
His assassination therefore dealt a severe blow to the core of Hamas’s leadership, damaging the continuity of command, the operational knowledge accumulated over decades, and the organization’s capacity for long-term force buildup and complex strategic planning.
Finding Deif wasn’t easy.
To avoid digital surveillance from Israeli intelligence, he strictly eschewed smartphones and modern technology, communicating instead through a network of trusted couriers who delivered handwritten messages.
However, Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, successfully turned one of these internal couriers.
The informant provided the exact location and precise timing of a planned meeting between Deif and Rafa’a Salameh, the head of Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade.
Armed with this actionable intelligence, the IDF deployed fighter jets to strike the targeted villa compound in the Al-Mawasi area.
Following a thorough intelligence review and DNA confirmations, Israel formally announced his death, which Hamas later confirmed in early 2025
In the aftermath, Hamas was forced to make significant structural adjustments.
The organization had to decentralize authority, rely more heavily on local commanders, and appoint replacements for a series of senior officials who were also eliminated.
The cumulative damage to the leadership echelon, including the loss of figures like Marwan Issa and Yahya Sinwar, undermined Hamas’s ability to conduct coordinated fighting, maintain a clear chain of command, and operate all its frameworks effectively
Despite efforts to rehabilitate capabilities through recruitment, training, and rebuilding command and control systems, the organization continues to face profound difficulties.
The command hole left by Deif’s assassination remains unfilled, and the ongoing targeting of Hamas’s leadership has made the process of recovery and reorganization exceptionally challenging
