Marrakech – Hamas’s military wing officially confirmed Monday the death of its longtime spokesman Abu Obeida, ending months of speculation after Israeli forces targeted him in Gaza City in August.
The Al-Qassam Brigades released a video statement revealing Abu Obeida’s real identity as Hudhayfah Samir Abdullah al-Kahlout. The announcement marked the first time Hamas disclosed the true name of the masked figure who became the face of Palestinian resistance during Israel’s two-year genocidal war on Gaza.
“We announce with pride the martyrdom of the great leader Abu Obeida,” declared the new spokesman, who will inherit the nom de guerre. The Israeli occupation forces struck al-Kahlout’s location in the Al-Rimal neighborhood on August 30, killing the spokesperson who had evaded multiple assassination attempts over two decades.
Rising through resistance ranks
Al-Kahlout emerged as the Al-Qassam Brigades’ first official spokesman in 2005, near the end of the Second Intifada. Born February 11, 1985, to a refugee family originally from Ni’ilya village near Majdal, he grew up in Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp after his family was forcibly displaced during the 1948 Nakba.
The masked spokesman joined Hamas at an early age before rising through the Al-Qassam Brigades’ ranks. He became the group’s sole military spokesperson, delivering battlefield updates while consistently concealing his face behind his trademark red keffiyeh.
Al-Kahlout’s prominence grew during key confrontations with Israeli occupation forces. He announced the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006 and later revealed the capture of another Israeli soldier, Shaul Aron, during the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza.
Despite his military role, al-Kahlout pursued academic studies, earning a master’s degree from the Islamic University’s Faculty of Usul al-Din in 2013. His thesis was titled “The Holy Land Between Judaism, Christianity and Islam,” and he was reportedly preparing for doctoral studies the following year.
His international profile drew hostile attention from Washington. In April 2024, the United States sanctioned him as Hamas’s “information warfare chief,” with the Treasury Department accusing him of leading the “cyber influence department of al-Qassam Brigades.”
Voice of resistance during genocide
During Israel’s current genocidal campaign on Gaza, Abu Obeida became the primary voice communicating Hamas’s military operations. He issued dozens of recorded statements about battlefield developments, Israeli captives, and threats of escalation, making each appearance a moment of heightened attention across the region.
His last known public statement came in mid-July, when he accused Arab and Muslim governments of abandoning Gaza as the enclave faced Israeli starvation tactics. His final recorded address aired on August 29, warning that any Israeli attempt to occupy Gaza would backfire on the occupation’s political and military leadership.
The spokesman had earned widespread popularity across the Arabic-speaking world, with his distinctive appearance replicated in protests and his name immortalized in resistance songs. His October 2024 criticism of Arab leaders’ failure to provide Gaza relief became a rallying cry when he said “God forbid” Palestinians ask rulers to intervene militarily.
Defying disarmament demands
The Al-Qassam Brigades also confirmed the deaths of several other high-ranking commanders in Israeli strikes. Mohammed Sinwar, the former Gaza leader who succeeded military commander Mohammed Deif as the brigades’ chief of staff, was killed in May.
The statement confirmed the deaths of Mohammed Shabanah, head of the Rafah Brigade, along with commanders Hakam al-Issa and Raed Saad.
These killings are part of Israel’s systematic campaign to eliminate Hamas’s military and political leadership. The occupation forces have assassinated top political leader Yahya Sinwar, military commander Mohammed Deif, and political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
The new Abu Obeida spokesman addressed current ceasefire conditions, stating Hamas remains committed to the truce despite repeated Israeli violations.
Since the October 11 ceasefire, Israeli forces have killed at least 414 Palestinians and wounded 1,145 others while recovering 680 bodies, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
“Our people defend themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation remains,” the spokesman declared, rejecting international disarmament calls. “We will not surrender, even if we have to fight with our fingernails.”
The announcement comes as Israel’s war of annihilation against Gaza has resulted in at least 71,266 Palestinians killed and 171,222 wounded since October 7, 2023. Gaza health authorities say most victims are civilians in what UN agencies describe as systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure.
Hamas’s statement emphasized that Israeli assassination campaigns will not break Palestinian resistance or deter the movement from continuing its path toward liberation and establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
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