Editing Mohammed Deif (section)

== Public image ==
Deif, the ''[[nom de guerre]]'' that Mohammed al-Masri took, means 'guest' in Arabic. This is said to refer to Deif staying in a different house each night as a precaution against Israeli attacks.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Burke |first1=Jason |author-link=Jason Burke |title=Who is the Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/13/who-is-the-hamas-military-chief-mohammed-dief |work=The Guardian |date=13 July 2024 |access-date=18 July 2024 |archive-date=3 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240803165115/https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/13/who-is-the-hamas-military-chief-mohammed-dief |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kiley |first=Sam |date=14 October 2023 |title=Who is El Deif, alleged mastermind of the Hamas attack? |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/14/middleeast/hamas-mastermind-el-deif-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=4 November 2023 |publisher=CNN |language=en |archive-date=4 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104172125/https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/14/middleeast/hamas-mastermind-el-deif-intl-hnk/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Another explanation said that the name comes from a theatre role he played in his earlier years.<ref name="washingtonpost20140802" /> He is also known by his [[Kunya (Arabic)|''kunya'']] Abu Khaled.<ref name="newsweek20231027" />

Prior to the [[Gaza war]], only two photos of Deif's face were known to publicly exist, with the most recent one having been taken in the year 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mohammed Deif: Inside mind of Palestine's 'New Bin Laden' who masterminded Hamas attack on Israel |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1117926-mohammed-deif-inside-mind-of-palestines-new-bin-laden-who-masterminded-hamas-attack-on-israel |access-date=21 November 2023 |website=[[The News International]] |date=10 October 2023 |language=en |archive-date=21 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121195931/https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1117926-mohammed-deif-inside-mind-of-palestines-new-bin-laden-who-masterminded-hamas-attack-on-israel |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Profile: Hamas's Qassam Brigade head Mohammed Deif |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/profile-hamass-qassam-brigade-head-mohammed-deif |access-date=20 November 2023 |date=12 February 2015 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en |archive-date=20 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120145157/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/profile-hamass-qassam-brigade-head-mohammed-deif |url-status=live}}</ref> He never appears in public,<ref name="reuters20231010" /> and he rarely gives recorded audio addresses.<ref name="sky20231010" /> His whereabouts are unknown, but it is likely that he has stayed in the [[Palestinian tunnel warfare in the Gaza Strip|underground tunnel networks in Gaza]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explained: Who is Mohammed Deif? The Hamas mastermind behind brutal attack on Israel |url=https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-who-is-mohammed-deif-the-mastermind-behind-hamass-brutal-attack-on-israel-645474 |access-date=22 November 2023 |publisher=WION |date=11 October 2023 |language=en-us |archive-date=22 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122160508/https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-who-is-mohammed-deif-the-mastermind-behind-hamass-brutal-attack-on-israel-645474 |url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2024, the IDF released a photo of Deif holding a cup of juice in one hand and a stack of [[United States dollar|U.S. dollars]] in the other hand. The photo was found in a computer that Israel seized from Hamas.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-781110 |title=IDF reveals most recent photo of Hamas military chief Muhammad Deif |first=Gadi |last=Zaig |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |date=6 January 2024}}</ref>

In spite of his elusiveness,<ref name="sky20231010" /> he is highly popular amongst Palestinians for his hardline stance against Israel.<ref name="sky20231010" /> He has become a 'folk hero' for his survival of many assassination attempts<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 October 2023 |title=Hamas' Mohammed Deif, Israel attack mastermind, reveals why he launched 9/11 like assault |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/hamas-mohammed-deif-israel-attack-mastermind-reveals-why-he-launched-9/11-like-assault/articleshow/104331798.cms |access-date=7 November 2023 |issn=0013-0389 |archive-date=7 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107213539/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/hamas-mohammed-deif-israel-attack-mastermind-reveals-why-he-launched-9/11-like-assault/articleshow/104331798.cms |url-status=live}}</ref> and has been nicknamed 'the mastermind' by Palestinians.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 October 2023 |title=Hamas: Who are the group's most prominent leaders? |first=Lina |last=Alshawabkeh |language=en-GB |agency=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67103298 |access-date=19 November 2023 |archive-date=19 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231019162128/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67103298 |url-status=live}}</ref> As a sign of his popularity, his name has been featured in protest slogans such as: "Put the sword before the sword, we are the men of Mohammed Deif."<ref name="newsweek20231027" /><ref name="lemonde20231011" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tahhan |first=Zena Al |title=Palestinian Authority cracks down on protests over Israel Gaza attacks |date=18 October 2023 |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/18/palestinian-authority-cracks-down-on-protests-over-israel-gaza-attacks |access-date=19 November 2023 |publisher=Al Jazeera |language=en |archive-date=18 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018132134/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/18/palestinian-authority-cracks-down-on-protests-over-israel-gaza-attacks |url-status=live}}</ref> His position as a military leader rather than a political one has shielded him from criticism of the Hamas administration of the Gaza Strip.<ref name="france24-20231010" />

After acknowledging his death, Hamas began using photos of Deif at ceremonies for the release of the hostages to the custody of the [[Red Cross]] as part of the [[2025 Gaza war ceasefire]] agreement.<ref>{{cite news|title=Israeli hostages, Palestinian prisoners released in latest Gaza exchange| first1= Mohammed |last1=Salem |first2=Nidal |last2= Al-Mughrabi| date=February 1, 2025| publisher=[[Reuters]]| url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/three-israeli-hostages-set-be-released-latest-gaza-exchange-2025-02-01/}}</ref>