A Fox News report stating that the chief of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif, was killed when the Israel Air Force bombed his family’s five story building is going viral. However in Israel, the report is viewed another unconfirmed report even coming from a source as reliable as Fox.

It is confirmed that Deif’s wife and daughter were killed, as was confirmed by Hamas. Officials in Gaza and Hamas Radio on Wednesday 24 Menachem Av report that Mohammed Deif was not in the home when it was targeted with a number of bunker busting bombs.

The Times of Israel reported that a house believed to be the home of Deif was hit early Wednesday. While Israeli leaders have not made any official statements, it has been confirmed unofficially, that the home targeted was Deif’s as he was believed to have been there at the time of the attack. In addition, if intelligence information stated his wife and child were present and the attack was not called off, as has been the norm in the past, it shows Israel’s willingness to escalate attacks when it comes to a ‘quality target’ such a Deif, who escaped assassination attempts in 2001, 2002 and 2006. Those failed attempts were credited to Israel too.

If Deif was indeed eliminated, and this remains questionable at present, no tears will be shed in Israel. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni told Ynet that “his liquidation is not just legitimate but desirable, in my opinion.”

Senior Hamas leader Moussa Abu Marzouk has announced that Deif is still alive.

Israel has warned that if Hamas resumes rocket fire the response will be significant and painful. According to the IDF Spokesman on Wednesday evening, over 175 rockets were fired at Israel since Hamas broke the ceasefire on Tuesday.

There is disagreement among the experts regarding the surgical strike on Deif’s home, with some stating it may take weeks or months until Israel learns if the arch terrorist was actually killed in the strike. Other feel it is a matter of hours or days at most until the truth is learned.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)