Rafa Salama
{{Short description|Hamas military official (died July 2024)}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Rafa Salama
| native_name = رافع سلامة
| native_name_lang = Arabic
| death_date = 13 July 2024
| death_place = Al-Mawasi, Gaza Strip
| death_cause = Assassination by airstrike
| allegiance = {{flag|Hamas}}
| serviceyears = 1990s–2024
| commands = Head of Khan Yunis Brigade of Al-Qassam Brigades
| battles = {{tree list}}
- 2006 Gaza cross-border raid
- 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis
- Gaza war
- 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel
- Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Siege of Khan Yunis
{{tree list/end}}
}}
{{Hamas history}}
Rafa Salama ({{Langx|ar|رافع سلامة}}; died 13 July 2024) was a Palestinian militant and the head of the Khan Yunis branch of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. He was killed by the Israeli military in an airstrike on al-Mawasi refugee camp on 13 July 2024, during the Gaza war.{{Cite web |last=Clarke-Billings |first=Lucy |date=14 July 2024 |title=IDF says senior Hamas commander Rafa Salama killed in Israeli air strike |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyx50e65wk6o |access-date=9 August 2024 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=15 July 2024 |title=Who was Rafa Salama, the Hamas military commander 'killed by Israel'? |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/who-was-hamas-commander-rafa-salama-killed-israeli-strike |website=The New Arab}}
Militant career
Salama initially worked at a school in Khan Yunis before joining Hamas in the early 1990s and being appointed as commander of the Khan Yunis brigade under the command of Mohammed Sinwar. Israel has accused Salama of orchestrating the 2006 Gaza cross-border raid and capture of Gilad Shalit, as well as the 7 October attack on Israel.
Israel bombed Salama's family home in Al-Mawasi on 13 July 2024, killing both Salama and head of the Al-Qassam Brigades, Mohammed Deif. The massive airstrike on the camp for displaced people also killed at least 90 Palestinians and injured over 300.{{Cite web |last=Gadzo |first=Mersiha |title=Israel's war on Gaza updates: Israeli strikes on al-Mawasi kill at least 90 |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/7/13/israel-war-on-gaza-live-dozens-of-bodies-recovered-after-massacre |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713133459/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/7/13/israel-war-on-gaza-live-dozens-of-bodies-recovered-after-massacre |archive-date=13 July 2024 |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} According to the Saudi channel Al-Hadath, Rafa Salama was killed in the strike while Deif was seriously wounded.{{Cite news |last1=Tondo |first1=Lorenzo |last2=Tantesh |first2=Malak A. |date=2024-07-13 |title=Hamas mastermind of 7 October attack target of deadly Gaza strike, claims Israel |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/13/hamas-mastermind-of-7-october-attack-killed-in-gaza-strike-claims-israel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240803143125/https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/13/hamas-mastermind-of-7-october-attack-target-of-deadly-gaza-strike-claims-israel |archive-date=3 August 2024 |access-date=2024-07-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Hamas dismissed the IDF's claims that it had targeted its leaders, labeling them as "false allegations" that aimed to "cover up the scale of the horrific massacre".{{Cite news |last1=Bisset |first1=Victoria |last2=Chamaa |first2=Mohamad El |date=2024-07-13 |title=Israel targets Hamas military leader; 71 killed in Mawasi strike, officials say |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/13/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-deif-mawasi/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240713164441/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/13/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-deif-mawasi/ |archive-date=2024-07-13 |access-date=2024-07-13 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} Hours after the strikes, sources confirmed Salama's death, who was buried by relatives and Hamas members.{{cite news |date=November 2, 2024 |title=New Evidence Suggests Death of Qassam Brigades Leader |url=https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5077358-new-evidence-suggests-death-qassam-brigades-leader |publisher=Asharq Al-Awsat}} Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida confirmed his death on 30 January 2025.{{Cite web |title=Hamas confirms the killing of military commander Mohammed Deif |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/30/hamas-confirms-the-killing-of-military-commander-mohammed-deif |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} Both of his sons were also killed in the war.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Hamas}}
{{Gaza war}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salama, Rafa}}
Category:Hamas military members
Category:Palestinian Sunni Muslims
Category:People from Khan Yunis Governorate
Category:Deaths by Israeli airstrikes during the Israel–Hamas war