“The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) announces that on July 13, 2024, IDF fighter jets struck in the area of Khan Younis, and following an intelligence assessment, it can be confirmed that Deif was eliminated in the strike,” the military said.

Hamas did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Israeli announcement, which came as crowds gathered in Tehran for the funeral procession of Hamas’s leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Deif is believed to have been one of the masterminds of Hamas’s Oct 7 attack on southern Israel, which triggered the Gaza war, now in its 300th day.

One of Hamas’s most dominant figures, Deif rose through the group’s ranks over 30 years, developing its network of tunnels and its bomb-making expertise.

He has topped Israel’s most wanted list for decades, held personally responsible for the deaths of dozens of Israelis in suicide bombings.