Israel army retracts claim it killed Al-Qassam commander Deif in Mawasi massacre

The Israeli army yesterday retracted a previous statement claiming it had killed a senior commander in Al-Qassam Brigades in an air strike that killed at least 90 people and injured hundreds of others in the Al-Mawasi ‘safe zone’ in Khan Yunis.

Israeli Army Radio quoted Israeli unnamed security sources as saying that there is no intelligence information yet confirming the success of the assassination attempt on Commander-in-Chief of the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, Muhammad Al-Deif, adding that “so far, no new intelligence information has been received that would allow to reinforce or prove the veracity of Deif’s assassination.”

“We are still waiting for more information that will clarify the results of the attack,” they added.

Army Radio claimed that Al-Deif had been hiding in the southern Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war, adding that most of the time he was in underground tunnels, especially under the Khan Yunis refugee camp.

READ: Hamas rejects Israeli media claims about airstrike aimed at Al-Qassam Brigade commander

“Although the 98th Division manoeuvred for four months in Khan Yunis, it is unknown whether the troops had approached Deif or reached the place where he was staying,” the radio station reported.

“Israeli estimates indicate that only recently, Deif allowed himself to leave the tunnels, due to the advanced state of negotiations on a prisoner swap deal and that he arrived at the Salameh family compound located above the ground in Al-Mawasi,” it added.

Rafa’a Salameh, the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade, had arrived at the location in Al-Mawasi only recently, it explained, and this is not the family’s permanent residence.

“Therefore, the intelligence and operational opportunity in this double assassination is considered extraordinary – two fat birds with one stone.”

On Saturday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed: “The Al-Mawasi operation targeted Mohammed Deif and his deputy, Rafa’a Salameh, but so far there are no confirmations of their deaths.”

Hamas, however, rejected the Israeli claims .

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