Israeli reports reveal health status of Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades leader

Shafaq News / Reports from Israeli newspapers revealed details about the health condition of Mohammad Deif, the leader of the military wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, on Wednesday, indicating that his physical state is considerably better than previously believed.

According to a report from the Israeli newspaper "Maariv," the information was based on videos apparently found by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, showing "Deif walking, albeit with a slight limp," and another video where he was "seen sitting."

"Times of Israel" mentioned that little is known about Deif, except for repeated reports in Israel for over a decade suggesting that the Al-Qassam leader lost both his legs and an arm due to an Israeli airstrike in one of around seven unsuccessful attempts to assassinate him.

However, the news site "Ynet" revealed that evidence discovered by the Israeli army in Gaza in recent weeks indicates that Deif still occasionally uses a wheelchair.

Despite the rapid circulation of the Maariv report by major Hebrew media outlets, Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization, has not commented on this development.

Nevertheless, the Israeli military radio clarified earlier today, citing Israeli sources, that the army was "aware of Deif's condition for several years," despite previous assessments suggesting that Deif had lost some of his limbs.

In recent years, reports have suggested a total of seven failed Israeli assassination attempts on Deif, although some resulted in severe injuries. The most recent two known attempts, according to the military, occurred in May 2021 during an 11-day escalation between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza.