Hamas Commander Mohammed Deif Killed After Hiding in Rafah Streets for Weeks

Two years after the killing of Mohammed Deif, the senior military commander of Hamas, new details have emerged about his movements and the circumstances of his death. According to a report in the Saudi-owned newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat published on Tuesday, Deif was not in the tunnels as initially believed but spent weeks in Gaza City following the October 7 attack before moving to southern Gaza.

Hamas initially denied Deif's death because many senior members believed he was still in Gaza City, unaware of his exact location in the south. Sources revealed that Deif rarely entered tunnels during the conflict and may have done so only once. He relocated to Rafah alone in early November 2023, coinciding with the start of the Israeli ground offensive in northern Gaza.

Despite advice from other senior military figures to remain in Gaza City where protection was assured, Deif chose to continue directing operations and monitor political developments related to negotiations. After moving south, communication with Hamas leadership was lost for four days because he could not find his contact to escort him to safety. During this period, Deif reportedly slept in the streets and once inside a mosque in Rafah without being recognized.

Eventually, a field operative identified him and moved him to safety. He later joined Raafat Salama, the commander of Hamas's Khan Yunis Brigade, and they moved between locations until they were killed together along with family members and other military personnel. Israeli intelligence lacked updated information on Deif during this time, and no recent images of him circulated among Palestinians.

Deif was 58 at the time of his death. The location where he was killed belonged to Salama, who was also killed in the operation. This new information sheds light on the final weeks of one of Hamas's most elusive commanders.