Who is Muhammad Al Zaif? The Hamas Brigade Commander responsible for deadly secret operation against Israel
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Muhammad al-Zaif, who initiated "Operation Storm of Al-Aqsa" against Israel, is a significant figure in the ongoing conflict. Born as Muhammad Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, he adopted the alias "al-Zaif" after surviving Israeli airstrikes and adopting an underground lifestyle.
This alias means "guest" in Arabic. He is the General Commander of the military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, known as the "Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades."
Born in 1965 in the Khan Yunis Refugee Camp in Gaza, Muhammad al-Zaif became associated with Hamas in 1990. He later rose to become a leader within Hamas in 2002. Al-Zaif had a family, including a seven-month-old son and a three-year-old daughter, who tragically lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike in 2014.
He is often referred to as the "Ghost" by Israelis because of the scarcity of recent images of him and his ability to frequently change his location, sometimes even multiple times in a single night. Despite being a highly sought-after individual by the Israeli military since 1995 for his alleged involvement in planning attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, he has managed to evade capture.
Israel considers him the most wanted person in Palestine and often refers to him as the "New Life Cat," signifying his ability to escape various dangers successfully. The prolonged cat-and-mouse game between al-Zaif and the Israeli military has been a source of frustration for Israel, as their objective during recent conflicts was to eliminate many top Hamas commanders.
Muhammad al-Zaif, who lost an eye in a previous assassination attempt, also suffered the loss of part of his arm in another targeted attack. Despite these challenges, he has remained a prominent figure in the Palestinian resistance.
On October 7th, an audio recording was released in which Muhammad al-Zaif announced the beginning of "Operation Storm of Al-Aqsa" against Israel and warned that if Israel did not meet Hamas's demands, it would face a "heavy price." In the recording, he also mentioned Pakistan, urging its people to support the operation in solidarity with the Palestinians.
The situation remains tense, and al-Zaif's actions and leadership continue to be a focal point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
