Mohammed Deif: Israel's most wanted man

A refugee born into poverty

Deif was born in 1965 into a Palestinian refugee family originally from the town of Al-Qubeiba, which Israel has occupied since its creation in 1948. After living in several refugee camps within the Gaza Strip, his family settled in the Khan Yunis Refugee Camp in southern Gaza.

Deif's upbringing was marked by extreme poverty. He had to work at a young age to assist his father in providing for their family. He later studied science at the Islamic University of Gaza, where he played a prominent role in religious activities on campus.

Throughout his college years, Deif was deeply influenced by Islamic ideology, leading him to join the Muslim Brotherhood and subsequently, Hamas. He became one of the organisation's prominent activist members on the ground during the first half of the 1980s.

In 1989, during the First Palestinian Intifada, also known as the Stone Intifada, which began in 1987, Deif was arrested. He spent 16 months in Israeli prisons without trial on charges related to his alleged involvement in Hamas' military wing.

Later, he relocated to the West Bank, where he opened up a new branch of the Al-Qassam Brigades, alongside other group leaders. 

The name "Mohammed Deif" is widely believed to be an alias. According to sources, his actual name is Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri.

Some say the name "Deif" was given to him because he frequently sought refuge or stayed as a guest in the homes of West Bank residents. (Deif in Arabic means guest). Others say it was because of his nomadic lifestyle, characterised by his constant movement between places.

Deif's role and close inner circle

The history of the Al-Qassam Brigades dates back to the early 1990s when it was set up in Gaza with the intention of derailing the Oslo Accords. After Emad Akel — a field commander in the brigades — was assassinated in 1993, Deif took over command.

Available information on Deif's activities suggests that he oversaw several operations, including capturing an Israeli soldier in the early 1990s. In response to the assassination of his close comrade, prominent military leader Yahya Ayyash, in 1996, he orchestrated a series of retaliatory operations.

Because of his effectiveness as a military leader, he has long been a target for assassination by Israel. Therefore, he has always exercised extreme caution and vigilance, with only a small and trusted inner circle privy to his whereabouts.

Deif reportedly refrains from using mobile phones or modern technological devices to minimise Israel's ability to track him. Despite his vigilance, he remains under constant surveillance by Israeli intelligence.

Five failed assassination attempts

Remarkably, Deif has survived five Israeli assassination attempts. The first attempt occurred in 2001 during the Second Palestinian Intifada, which erupted a year prior. Subsequent attempts took place in 2002, 2003, 2006, and the most recently in 2014 during Israel's bombing campaign on Gaza, which lasted for 51 days.

In the latest assassination attempt, which targeted a house in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood in the northern city of Gaza with four Israeli warheads, 18 Palestinians, including his wife and infant son, were killed. Deif miraculously survived the attack.

During one failed attempt, he sustained a direct injury that left him paralysed, leading to his using a wheelchair, as reported by certain Hamas media outlets.

Israel and its media have previously called him the "Son of Death" and the "Head of the Serpent," acknowledging the enigma surrounding his identity. This aura of mystery arises primarily from his meticulous efforts to avoid the public eye.

Israel has openly admitted to its intelligence failures in tracking him down. His only available photograph is outdated and provides no clues about his present-day appearance.