Democracy Dies in Darkness

Israel says Hamas top military commander killed; Hamas political leader mourned in Iran

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken urged all parties in the Gaza conflict to stop taking escalatory actions Aug. 1 after Hamas's leader was killed in Tehran. (Video: The Washington Post)
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The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday that Mohammed Deif, a top Hamas military leader, was killed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in July. The news of Deif’s death came as thousands gathered in Iran for the funeral for Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated Wednesday. Hamas and Iran both blamed Israel and vowed revenge, though Israel has declined to comment on the operation. At the funeral for senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, the militant group’s leader, Hasan Nasrallah, warned of a “new stage” in the conflict. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on “all parties” to stop taking escalatory actions, for fear of the conflict spilling over into a region-wide war.

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Israel-Gaza war

The Israel-Gaza war has gone on for months, and tensions have spilled into the surrounding Middle East region.

The war: On Oct. 7, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking civilian hostages, including from a music festival. See photos and videos of how the deadly assault unfolded. Israel declared war on Hamas in response, launching a ground invasion that fueled the biggest displacement in the region since Israel’s creation in 1948. In July 2024, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an attack Hamas has blamed on Israel.

Gaza crisis: In the Gaza Strip, Israel has waged one of this century’s most destructive wars, killing tens of thousands and plunging at least half of the population into “famine-like conditions.” For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave.

U.S. involvement: Despite tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some U.S. politicians, including President Biden, the United States supports Israel with weapons, funds aid packages, and has vetoed or abstained from the United Nations’ cease-fire resolutions.

History: The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mistrust are deep and complex, predating the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Read more on the history of the Gaza Strip.