Death of Hamas Military Leader Deif in July Confirmed, Israel Says 

Palestinians evacuate a body from a site hit by an Israeli bombardment on Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on July 13, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians evacuate a body from a site hit by an Israeli bombardment on Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on July 13, 2024. (AP)
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Death of Hamas Military Leader Deif in July Confirmed, Israel Says 

Palestinians evacuate a body from a site hit by an Israeli bombardment on Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on July 13, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians evacuate a body from a site hit by an Israeli bombardment on Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on July 13, 2024. (AP)

The head of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza last month, the Israeli military said on Thursday, a day after the group's political leader was assassinated in Teheran.

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) announces that on July 13th, 2024, IDF fighter jets struck in the area of Khan Yunis, and following an intelligence assessment, it can be confirmed that Mohammed 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 Teheran for the funeral procession of Hamas' leader Isamil Haniyeh.

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

One of Hamas' 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.



Syria: Assad Names Ex-minister Jalali to Form Cabinet

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Reuters
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Reuters
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Syria: Assad Names Ex-minister Jalali to Form Cabinet

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Reuters
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Reuters

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree naming former communications minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali to form a new cabinet, state media said on Saturday.
The new cabinet will replace an outgoing administration which has been serving in a caretaker role since parliamentary elections in mid-July.
Al-Jalali served as communications minister from 2014-2016. He has been subject to EU sanctions since 2014 for his "responsibility for the regime's violent repression of the civilian population.”