In Israel, indications are growing that Marwan Issa, number 3 in the leadership of Hamas in Gaza, was killed in an operation led by the IDF and Shin Bet earlier this week in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
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Although Israel has not officially confirmed his death, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant hinted at his assassination. So who is this senior figure who served as deputy to the head of the Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif?
Marwan Issa, 59, is the deputy head of Hamas' military wing and one of the terror group's founders. He is known as "the man of shadows" and the right-hand man of Mohammed Deif. He was arrested during the first intifada for his Hamas activities and spent five years in Israeli custody. He was also detained by the Palestinian Authority and was only released during the second intifada. He joined Hamas at a young age, and in Israel it is said that as long as he is alive the psychological warfare with Hamas will continue.
Issa played a central role in the development of military systems in Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades and became a wanted figure in Israel. His name featured prominently among the most wanted in Hamas and was targeted by Israel in 2006 during a meeting he held with Deif and other leaders, as well as in 2014 and 2021 when his house was bombed and his brother killed. His face was not publicly known before 2011, and he was photographed during the reception of prisoners released in the Gilad Shalit deal.
Footage of the attack on the compound where Marwan Issa was staying
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Issa was known as one of the leaders of Hamas who knew and planned the surprise terror attack on October 7. If indeed killed, it would be a significant blow to Hamas.
"If Marwan Issa was indeed killed, it is a significant achievement. He was a multifaceted figure who simultaneously held three roles. He was the 'Defense Minister' of Hamas, meaning he was a member of the Hamas government; additionally, he was the 'Deputy Chief of Staff,' serving as the deputy head of the military wing," according to former head of the Institute for National Security Studies and former head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Tamir Hayman.
"Perhaps most importantly, he was the strategic mind of Hamas. Under the guise of his role as 'Labor Minister,' he played a central role in the Hamas movement, in a broader sense than just the military aspect," Hayman added. "Beyond that, he was a close confidant of (Hamas leader Yahya) Sinwar. He was his balance and managed to largely control Sinwar's psychological volatility. As a very close friend of Deif, he was the one who connected Sinwar to Deif. So, yes, the public may not know him, but sometimes the connecting factor is almost as important as the leader himself."
Unlike many Hamas leaders, Issa remained in the Gaza Strip. His son was killed in an airstrike in December, and his oldest son died about a year ago due to illness; at that time Issa failed to get him out of the Gaza Strip for medical treatment.
The bombings aimed at eliminating Marwan Issa targeted an underground bunker in the Gaza Strip where it was not known whether hostages were being held. The airstrikes occurred overnight between Saturday and Sunday, in an operation led by the IDF and Shin Bet in the central Gaza Strip. According to intelligence reports, Issa was in the area that was attacked, but his death was not announced nor has it yet been confirmed. A source close to Hamas said Monday: "There is no response from the political or military wing of Hamas regarding his assassination. They neither confirm nor deny it."