A relative of the wife of Hamas’s military leader, Mohammed Deif, and his infant son Ali, whom medics said were killed in Israeli air strikes, carries Ali’s body during their funeral in the northern Gaza Strip August 20, 2014.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal described the condition of the group’s military commander Mohammad Deif as “fine”, after what it terms an Israeli assassination attempt on him earlier this month.

Hamas’ military wing, the Izz-el-Din al-Qassam Brigades, had said at the time that Israel had missed its target and that Deif’s wife and seven-month-old son were killed in the attack.

Deif was widely believed to be masterminding the Islamist group’s military campaign from underground bunkers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined to say whether Israel had tried to kill Deif, but said militant leaders were legitimate targets and that “none are immune” from attack.

 
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