Israeli General: ‘If Deif Was in Our Army He Would Have Been a Top Commander’

Former Shin Bet chief Carmi Gillon said if the commander of the Izz Aldin Al Qassam Brigades, Muhammad Deif, was an Israeli, he would have been a senior commander of the Israeli army’s special forces.

Gillon added – in Al Jazeera’s “Fawq Al Sulta (Above Authority)” program broadcast on 7 February – he was determined to kill Deif when he was spy chief and that Deif wanted to have him killed, describing him as a highly competent opponent.

This statement reflects an unprecedented appreciation by an Israeli general for a Palestinian leader, especially in light of the war that lasted 15 months before stopping after the ceasefire agreement.

Gillon pointed out that Deif possesses exceptional leadership qualities, which earned him respect even among his opponents.

Abu Obeida, the Qassam Brigades spokesman – the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) – “announced on 30 January, 2025, the Al Deif, and a group of senior mujahideen members were killed.

Abu Obeida that besides Deif, a number of other leaders, most notably Marwan Issa, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Qassam Brigades, the Commander of the Weapons and Combat Services Section, Ghazi Abu Tama’a, the Commander of the Human Resources Section, Raed Thabet, and the Commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade, Rafeh Salama were also martyred according to JO24.