ALBAWABA - On Monday, official statements and news accounts said that the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military branch, announced the death of its spokesperson Abu Obedia, who was named as Hudhayfah Samir al-Kahlout, along with a group of high-ranking leaders.
The new Brigades spokesperson gave a speech on TV and said that Abu Obeida had been killed along with Mohammed Sinwar, who was described as deputy chief of staff; Mohammed Shabana, who was leader of the Rafah Brigade; Hakam Issa, who was head of combat weapons; and Raed Saad, who was head of manufacturing. The statement was made while fighting was still going on in the Gaza Strip.
A Voice but No Face
Abu Obeida was the most well-known voice of the Brigades for over twenty years. He always appeared wearing a mask, often with a red-and-white keffiyeh, and he made speeches during big escalations, talking about military developments and addressing both Palestinians and the wider region. When he showed up somewhere, it was treated like a big media event. The group made him out to be a figure, and his effect depended on words instead of pictures.
Prior Information and Schooling
Al-Kahlout was born in 1984, spent most of his life in Jabalia Refugee Camp, and went to UNRWA schools, according to reports. He went on to study Islamic doctrine and got his master's degree in 2013 with a thesis called "The Holy Land between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam." During the second Palestinian uprising, he joined Hamas. He was promoted through jobs in operations and the media and became the group's spokesperson in 2002.
Was the target for a long time.
The Brigades said that Abu Obeida had been a target of Israeli forces for a long time and that there had been several attempts to kill him over the years. Even so, he kept putting out statements during the next wars while keeping his name a secret.
A symbol that the person took over the person
The Brigades' statements put Abu Obeida's death in the context of a larger story of struggle. They said he was more than just one person and his death was a loss of something great. The group said a new spokesperson would continue to talk about changes “without interruption.”
As things keep changing in Gaza, the announcement means one of the biggest leadership losses the Brigades have openly admitted during this part of the war.
