Title: The Elusive Mastermind Behind Hamas’ Devastating Attack
Subtitle: Mohammed Deif, the secretive chief of Hamas’ military wing, orchestrates retribution for Al Aqsa Mosque raids
DUBAI, Oct 11 (Reuters) – Israel is calling last week’s deadly attack by Hamas its 9/11 moment, as Palestinian militant Mohammed Deif, the mastermind behind the assault, dubs it Al Aqsa Flood. The phrase used by Israel’s most wanted man in an audio tape that aired as Hamas launched thousands of rockets signals that the attack was revenge for Israeli raids on Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque.
According to a source close to Hamas in Gaza, the operation, which has claimed over 1,200 lives in Israel, was triggered by footage of Israeli security forces storming Al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan. The source revealed that the incident, which saw worshippers beaten and attacked, inflamed anger among Palestinians.
Following the storming of the holy site, which has long been a source of religious and sovereignty-related violence in Jerusalem, 11 days of intense fighting erupted between Israel and Hamas. The assault on Saturday, orchestrated by Deif, marked the worst breach in Israeli defenses since the 1973 Arab-Israeli conflict and prompted Israel to declare war and launch retaliatory strikes on Gaza.
Deif, a survivor of seven Israeli assassination attempts, rarely speaks in public. Therefore, when Hamas’s TV channel announced his impending speech on Saturday, Palestinians knew a significant event was unfolding. In the recording, Deif expressed that the attack was a response to the rage surrounding Al Aqsa and urged fighters to make Israel understand that its time was over.
The elusive Deif is known primarily through three images: one from his 20s, another with a mask, and a silhouette used during the broadcast of his audio tape. His current whereabouts are unknown, but he is believed to be hiding in the labyrinth of tunnels beneath Gaza. Israeli security sources confirm Deif’s direct involvement in planning and executing the attack.
Palestinian sources reported that one of the Israeli strikes in Gaza targeted Deif’s father’s house, resulting in the death of Deif’s brother and two other family members. While the decision to plan the attack was made jointly by Deif and Yehya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, it is evident that Deif was the architect of the operation.
The secrecy surrounding the operation was so stringent that even Iran, an important source of support for Hamas, was only vaguely aware of the impending operation, lacking specific details regarding timing or particulars. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has denied Tehran’s involvement, and the United States has acknowledged that while Iran was complicit, there is no direct evidence of the country’s participation.
Deif’s plan involved extended efforts to deceive Israel, making them believe that Hamas was focused on Gaza’s economic development and uninterested in conflict. While Israel provided economic incentives to Gazan workers, Hamas fighters were covertly trained and drilled. This elaborate scheme was meticulously prepared over two years, according to Ali Baraka, the head of external relations for Hamas.
In his recording, Deif emphasized that Hamas had repeatedly warned Israel to cease its crimes against Palestinians, release abused and tortured prisoners, and halt the expropriation of Palestinian land. Amidst ongoing Israeli aggression, Deif claimed that they decided to put an end to these injustices.
Born as Mohammad Masri in a refugee camp, Deif joined Hamas during the first Intifada, rising through the ranks and becoming known as Mohammed Deif. He has long been on Israel’s most wanted list and is held accountable for numerous suicide bombings that claimed the lives of dozens of Israelis.
Deif, who has survived multiple assassination attempts, is regarded as a Palestinian folk hero for his resilience and commitment to leading Hamas’s armed wing. He remains elusive, appearing in videos only with a mask or as a shadow. Reports suggest that Deif refrains from using modern digital technology to maintain his anonymity.
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages on, Deif’s role as the enigmatic mastermind behind the devastating attack represents the incendiary dynamics fueling hostilities on both sides.
Editing by William Maclean, David Clarke, and Andrew Heavens