The head of Hamas’ military wing was “eliminated” on July 13, the Israeli army announced.

He was suspected by Israel of planning the October 7 massacre. The head of Hamas’s armed wing, Mohammed Deif, was “eliminated” in an operation carried out on July 13 in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army announced on Thursday, August 1. “Warplanes carried out strikes in the Khan Younis area and, following intelligence analysis, it can be confirmed that Mohammed Deif has been eliminated”, according to a military statement. “Deif directed, planned and executed the October 7 massacre,” accuses the army.

The July 13 strikes killed more than 90 people in the Khan Younis area, the Hamas government’s health ministry in the Gaza Strip reported. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas denied that Mohammed Deif was among the victims.

The leader of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Mohammed Deif was one of Israel’s most wanted men for nearly 30 years. He was also on the U.S. list of “international terrorists” since 2015. According to the Israeli military, Mohammed Deif carried out several attacks against Israel over the years and operated with Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, who is still wanted by Israel.