Hamas Military Chief Muhammad Deif Moved Alone to Rafah Before Assassination

Two years after the assassination of Muhammad Deif, the commander of Hamas's military wing, the newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat revealed new details about his movements from the October 7 attack until his death. On the day of his killing, Hamas initially denied the strike, as many senior members believed Deif was in Gaza City rather than southern Gaza. Some thought he was inside a tunnel, but sources clarified he rarely went underground during the conflict.

Deif stayed in Gaza City during the October 7 attack and remained there for several weeks. He moved to southern Gaza just days before the Israeli Defense Forces completed their capture of the Nitzanim corridor. According to sources close to Deif, he left Gaza City alone without bodyguards and relocated to Rafah in early November 2023, coinciding with the start of the ground offensive in northern Gaza.

Several senior Hamas military figures, including Ezzedine Al-Qaddad, advised Deif to stay in Gaza City where they could protect him, but Deif chose to continue directing the fighting and monitor political developments related to negotiations. After moving south, his communication with Hamas leadership was cut for four days because he could not find his contact to escort him to safety. He ended up sleeping in the streets and once inside a mosque in Rafah, blending in with about 1.3 million displaced people.

Eventually, a Hamas operative recognized Deif and moved him to a secure location. He was later transferred to Khan Yunis, where he joined Raafat Salama, the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade, who was killed alongside Deif and other family members and military personnel. They moved between several locations before settling in the building where they were ultimately assassinated.