Israel attacks Hamas commander Muhammad Deif with air strike

A major Israeli airstrike on Gaza on Saturday targeted the Hamas commander believed to be the mastermind of the gruesome October 7 attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis and sparked the war in Gaza.

According to several reports, the Israel Defense Forces fired rockets at a fenced compound where Muhammad Deif, the commander of Hamas’ military wing, and Rafa’a Salameh, the commander of Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade, were holed up.

The military was still waiting for intelligence to confirm whether Dief, the leader of the group’s notorious Qassam Brigades, and Salameh were killed in the attack. Saudi news channel al-Hadath reported that Dief was seriously wounded and Salameh was killed, according to the Times of Israel.

Dief is widely seen as Hamas’s deputy in the Gaza Strip behind top terror boss Yahya Sinwar. His death, which the Israeli military has long called for, could derail the ceasefire talks, but would be a major victory for Israel.

According to witnesses, the attack landed in an Israeli-designated security zone stretching from northern Rafah to Khan Younis. The Israeli military said the building hit by the attack was in a civilian area but was not part of a camp for displaced Palestinians. They quoted the Israeli military as saying that no Israeli hostages were being held at the site.

According to unconfirmed reports from the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip, at least 71 Palestinians were killed and 289 injured in the attack.

Long before the current war, Deif was wanted by the Israeli military and became famous for his ability to avoid capture or assassination. In December, Israel put a $100,000 bounty on his head, the Times of Israel reported.

The attack came as American, Egyptian and Qatari mediators continue to work to narrow the distance between Israel and Hamas over a proposed agreement on a three-stage ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip.

This is a developing story, more to come…

With post wires