EU adds 2 Hamas commanders to its terrorist list

EU countries today put two Hamas commanders on the European Union’s terrorist list, Reuters reports.

The two individuals are Mohammed Deif, commander general of Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and his deputy Marwan Issa, the EU said.

Effective today, the two commanders are subject to the freezing of their funds and other financial assets in EU member states, while EU operators are prohibited from providing funds and economic resources to them.

Mohammed Deif, born Mohammed Diab Al-Masri in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip in 1965, is a founding member and commander of Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades. He became head of the resistance faction in July 2002 after Israel assassinated its former leader Salah Shehada.

During the 2014 war, an attempted assassination by Israel killed Deif’s wife and two of his children, and injured other family members.

Love in the time of Gaza: The story of Mohamed Al-Deif and his late wife Widad Asfoura