Sagarika Mitra, Content Head of JAN KI BAAT, writes about the mastermind of the attack on Israel. Read on
‘We have decided to put an end to all of the occupation’s crimes. The time has ended for them to act without accountability. We announce the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation, and in the first strike within 20 minutes, more than 5,000 rockets were launched. This is the day of the grand picture to end the occupation.
Today, whoever has a gun, let him bring it out; it’s its time. Everyone should come out with their trucks, cars, or tools. Today, history opens its most pure and honorable pages.”
– Mohammed Deif, Commander-in-chief of Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades on October 7th, 2023
In the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war that has now entered its seventh day, the death toll stands at a devastating 2,800, with lives lost on both sides. Amidst the rocket attacks and airstrikes, one name stands as a stark reminder of brutality and fear – Mohammed Deif, the elusive Hamas Commander and the orchestrator behind the ruthless “Al Aqsa Flood” operation that has once again ignited the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Deif’s strategy was built upon a foundation of deception. While Israel believed that Hamas was preoccupied with economic development in Gaza, Deif’s fighters were quietly trained and prepared, often under the watchful eyes of the Israeli military. An Israeli security source has affirmed Deif’s direct involvement in both planning and executing the attack. His whereabouts remain veiled in secrecy, but it is widely believed that he is concealed within Gaza’s intricate labyrinth of tunnels.
Known by the ominous moniker of ‘the guest,’ Deif’s nickname stems from a chilling practice of shifting his location each night, often under the shelter of devoted Hamas supporters. This elusive behavior further highlights his enduring influence within Hamas. Notably, Deif has survived seven assassination attempts by Israel, the most recent of which took place in 2021.
In the Israeli counter-offensive against Hamas which saw Israeli fighter jets conduct aerial assaults in Gaza’s Al Furkan neighborhood, targeting over 200 Hamas-related sites- one target was the residence of Mohammed Deif’s father. In the year 2014, an Israeli airstrike claimed the lives of his wife, 7-month-old son, and 3-year-old daughter.
Mohammed Deif, released an audio tape following the October 7th strike, in which he declared the assault as retribution for Israeli actions at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque. The genesis of this operation can be traced back to May 2021 when tensions flared after Israeli forces stormed Islam’s third holiest site during Ramadan. Deif’s motivations were driven by the footage of Israeli forces assaulting and forcibly removing worshippers from the Al Aqsa mosque, igniting Palestinian anger. This holy site, a longstanding flashpoint, continues to be a center of contention over sovereignty and religion in Jerusalem.
Born as Mohammad Masri in 1965 in the Khan Yunis Refugee Camp, a settlement that emerged after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Deif’s transformation into a prominent Hamas leader has been shaped by survival and secrecy. His journey represents a dangerous ideology that seeks to “destroy Israel.”
The decision to prepare for the attack on Israel was ostensibly a collaborative effort between Deif, who leads Hamas’s Al Qassam Brigades, and Yehya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza. However, the driving force behind the operation was unequivocal. A source closely associated with Hamas acknowledged that while two influential figures were at play, there was a single mastermind orchestrating the operation. Only a select few within Hamas had access to detailed information about the plan, underscoring the imperative of maintaining secrecy.
Deif’s association with Hamas traces back to the first Intifada, the Palestinian uprising that erupted in 1987. Amid the fervent struggle for Palestinian rights, he assumed a new identity, Mohammed Deif. Under his leadership, the founding charter of Hamas from 1988, which called for the destruction of Israel, took on a renewed and menacing significance. This transformation has led to the international branding of Hamas as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, Canada, Egypt, and Japan.
In 1989, Deif was apprehended by Israeli forces, and he spent roughly 16 months in detention. As he ascended the ranks within Hamas, he played a pivotal role in developing the group’s intricate network of tunnels and enhancing their bomb-making capabilities. His reputation as a mastermind behind attacks on Israelis has consistently placed him at the pinnacle of Israel’s most-wanted list, with personal responsibility attributed to him for numerous Israeli casualties in suicide bombings.
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