The Times of Israel 19 reports that last week, the IDF tried twice to take out Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, but failed.
Israel says it is still hunting the elusive terror chief after Israeli security forces tried to kill him at least five times, leaving him nearly paralyzed.
Photo: Hamas military faction commander Mohammed Dif
According to the Israeli military, the IDF has tried to kill the head of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Dif, at least twice in the past week and a half of fighting, but both times he escaped unharmed.
The information, which was only allowed to be released Tuesday night, was publicly confirmed Wednesday morning by IDF spokesman Hiday Zilberman.
Throughout the ongoing Israeli operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the military has said one of its main goals is to kill the top leaders of the terror group, who have largely gone up into hiding to avoid IDF attacks. Dives in particular has been designated as a potential target.
While Israeli Defense Ministry officials believe the current operation, known as “Guardians of the Wall,” has largely achieved the military’s goal of significantly weakening Hamas and Gaza’s second-largest terror group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, military officials told Channel 12 Tuesday night that they want to continue the fight, especially in the hunt for Dif and other senior Hamas commanders.
Diff, the leader of the elusive Hamas military wing, has been on Israel’s most wanted list for more than 25 years for his involvement in planning and carrying out numerous terrorist attacks, including numerous bus bombings over the past few years. The Israeli military considers Dif to be a skilled field commander.
Prior to that, Israeli security services had attempted to take out Dives at least five times over the years. The first occurred in 2001, the second in 2002, which resulted in him losing his eye, and the third a year later. another bombing raid in 2006 left him severely wounded, losing both legs and an arm.
In 2014, during that year’s Gaza war, Israel again tried to take out Dives, narrowly missing success. Although Israel initially believed Dives was killed in the attack, he did survive.
Photo: Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar speaks during a press conference on Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day in Gaza City, May 30, 2019.
On Sunday, Eliezer Toledano, commander of the IDF’s Southern Command, which plays a key role in the battle against Hamas in Gaza, said Dif, as well as Hamas’ Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar, could be the target of an Israeli attack.
In an interview with Channel 12 News, Toledano said, “Mohammed Dif and Yahya Sinwar were and are in Israel’s sights.
Amid growing discussions about a possible ceasefire, Toledano told Channel 12 News that the more time the army has to achieve its military objectives against terror targets in the Gaza Strip, the better.
Photo: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) speaks with his military secretary Brig. Gen. Eliezer Toledano (right) on his way to a visit to the Ezzion Group in the West Bank, Nov. 23, 2015.
Second only to Hamas Politburo leader Ismail Haniya in the terrorist organization’s hierarchy, Sinwar spent decades in Israeli prisons after his 1989 conviction for the kidnapping and execution of two Israeli soldiers.
Called “the butcher from Khan Younis” by his Israeli interrogators because of his passion for executing Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel, Sinwar was released from prison as part of the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas.
On Saturday night, the IDF said it bombed Sinwar’s home, calling it a “terrorist infrastructure.
Considered a militant even within Hamas, Sinwar is notorious for his key role in establishing Hamas’ military wing and security services. The Izzedine al-Qassim Brigades and the Majid Brigades have each carried out numerous terrorist attacks against Israelis and have killed Palestinians accused of cooperating with Israel.
Yet despite his hardline views, Sinwar is considered one of Hamas’ leading voices in pushing for a long-term cease-fire agreement with Israel.
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