Israeli military says more indications showing Mohammed Deif killed

The Israeli military believes that an airstrike carried out on the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone that killed at least 90 Palestinians also killed Hamas military head Mohammed Deif.

The Israeli military's Arabic language spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on Sunday that over the past two days the military has seen signs Deif had been killed in the strike, although he added that the military has not got official confirmation.

"Israel relies on intelligence information in this complex and special operation, and the air force launched the bombs and missiles to the location after confirming that Khan Younis Brigade commander [Rafa Salama] was sitting next to Mohammed Deif", Adraee was quoted as saying by Yedioth Ahronoth's English language service.

It comes after other Israeli military officials said that the signs of Deif's death were increasing. This includes Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari, who said on Friday that it was certain Deif was next to Salama when the strike occurred.

Hamas has denied Deif is dead, saying shortly after the strike that he was "fine".

The strike that the Israeli military believes to have killed Deif and Salama killed at least 90 Palestinians and wounded hundreds of others.

Mohammed Deif is the head of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, while Rafa Salama was the commander of the group's Khan Younis Brigade.

Deif is a longtime member of the group, joining Hamas in the opening weeks of the first Intifada in 1987 and surviving multiple Israeli assassination attempts leading to the Israeli army, giving him the nickname "the cat with nine lives".

He is thought to be one of the "masterminds" of Hamas 7 October attack on southern Israel.

According to the Israeli military, a number of other Qassam commanders have been killed in Israel's campaign, including Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of the Qassam brigades, six other top leaders including Salama.

Israel's war on Gaza, which has seen the military destroy much of the enclave and displace over 80 percent of its population, has killed 39,006 people and wounded a further 89,818.