Overview
Abu Ubaida was the spokesman of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. Abu Ubaida was part of the brigades’ senior command and spoke on behalf of the brigades for more than a decade.Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi, “Hamas’ Strategy Revealed,” Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, 2014, https://jcpa.org/hamas-strategies/. Always appearing with a red checkered keffiyeh covering his face, Abu Ubaida’s true identity remained a well-guarded secret, though Israel claimed to reveal his true identity in 2023. Following Hamas’s terror attack of October 7, 2023, Israel accused Abu Ubaida of responsibility for “distributing the atrocities of the October 7 massacre using footage captured by Hamas terrorists.”Lazar Berman, “‘The face of Hamas’: Israel confirms terror group’s spokesman Abu Obeida killed,” Times of Israel, August 31, 2025, https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-face-of-hamas-israel-confirms-terror-groups-spokesman-abu-obeida-killed/. Abu Ubaida died in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip on August 30, 2025.Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi, “Hamas’ Strategy Revealed,” Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, 2014, https://jcpa.org/hamas-strategies/.
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades comprise Hamas’s military wing. Created in 1991 with the reported aim to block negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the wing is named after a Muslim preacher who, in 1930, formed the “Black Hand,” an anti-Zionist and anti-British organization.Jack Khoury, “Jabari deputy likely to be Hamas’ next military commander,” Haaretz, November 25, 2012, http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/jabari-deputy-likely-to-be-hamas-next-military-commander.premium-1.480253.
Abu Ubaida first emerged as a Hamas field official in 2002. It is unclear when exactly he became the official spokesman of the Qassam Brigades. Some reports claim he assumed the role following Israel’s August 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip.“Abu Ubaida...Al-Mulatham: Symbol of the Gaza Battle,” Asharq al-Awsat (London), November 2, 2023, https://english.aawsat.com/features/4643556-abu-ubaidaal-mulatham-symbol-gaza-battle. Other reports claim that Abu Ubaida assumed the role in 2004.Lazar Berman, “‘The face of Hamas’: Israel confirms terror group’s spokesman Abu Obeida killed,” Times of Israel, August 31, 2025, https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-face-of-hamas-israel-confirms-terror-groups-spokesman-abu-obeida-killed/. Abu Ubaida rose to prominence after Hamas’s June 25, 2006, cross-border attack into Israel that killed two soldiers and resulted in the capture of Gilad Shalit, whom Hamas held captive until a 2011 prisoner exchange for 1,100 Palestinians.“Who is Abu Obeida, Al-Qassam’s Famous Military Spokesman – PROFILE,” Palestine Chronicle, November 2, 2023, https://www.palestinechronicle.com/who-is-abu-obeida-al-qassam-famous-military-spokesman-profile/. After that event, Abu Ubaida delivered numerous statements on behalf of the brigades, including support for Palestinian resistance of Israeli occupation as well as claims of responsibility and threats for terror attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians.“Hamas' Military Wing,” IDF, https://www.idf.il/en/minisites/hamas/hamas/hamas-military-wing/; “Hamas fired "defensively" at Israelis in Gaza,” Reuters, March 26, 2010, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-israel-violence-hamas/hamas-fired-defensively-at-israelis-in-gaza-idUSTRE62P2VT20100326. In a 2010 interview, Abu Ubaida claimed that he had joined Hamas as part of the resistance movement against “the Zionist occupation of Palestinian lands.”Nilantha Ilangamuwa, “Interview With Abu Obeida,” Countercurrents, June 22, 2010, https://countercurrents.org/obeida220610.htm.
In May 2021, violent altercations significantly erupted between Israeli forces and Hamas. On May 1, 2021, the Jerusalem District Court ruled that at least 13 Palestinian families must vacate their homes in Sheikh Jarrah in a legal dispute over the original rights to the properties and rent payments.Linah Alsaafin, “What is happening in occupied East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah?,” Al Jazeera, May 1, 2021, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/1/what-is-happening-in-occupied-east-jerusalems-sheikh-jarrah; “Palestinian shot dead after car rams Israeli police in Jerusalem,” Al Jazeera, May 16, 2021, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/16/palestinian-shot-dead-after-car-rams-israeli-police-in-jerusalem. Riots broke out in Jerusalem and around the Al-Aqsa Mosque, sparking police responses. The supreme court was due to make a ruling in the case on May 9 but delayed its decision because of the violence.Aaron Boxerman, “Supreme Court delays session on Sheikh Jarrah evictions amid Jerusalem violence,” Times of Israel, May 9, 2021, https://www.timesofisrael.com/supreme-court-delays-session-on-sheikh-jarrah-evictions-amid-jerusalem-tensions/; Hadas Gold, “Israeli Supreme Court delays hearing on Palestinian evictions from East Jerusalem neighborhood,” CNN, May 9, 2021, https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/09/middleeast/jerusalem-sheikh-jarrah-unrest/index.html. Given the rising tension in Sheikh Jarrah, Hamas intervened and began to launch rocket attacks on Israel on May 10, joining with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in firing more than 4,000 rockets at Israeli population centers over the next two weeks. Ubaida has championed these demonstrations and attacks and in a speech released on al-Qassam’s Telegram account, called for all Palestinians to “rise to battle in every field.”Alex MacDonald, “Hamas commander hails 'unity' of Palestinian struggle,” Middle East Eye, May 13, 2021, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hamas-armed-wing-commander-hails-unity-palestinians-al-aqsa-struggle. Abu Ubaida claimed Hamas launched rocket strikes on Israel bigger than any seen since Israel’s 1948 Independence War.Anna Ahronheim, Tovah Lazaroff, Tzvi Joffre, and Sarah Ben-Nun, “IDF preps for ground invasion as rockets continue to pound Israel,” Jerusalem Post, May 14, 2021, https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israel-striking-gaza-in-response-to-rocket-barrage-directed-at-jerusalem-667776.
Abu Ubaida’s true identity remained shrouded in secrecy. In 2014, Israel released a photo purportedly of Abu Ubaida, though Hamas denied the claim.“Al-Qassam: The circulated photo of Abu Obeida is not real.,” Zaman Press, July 25, 2014, https://zamnpress.com/news/55519. In October 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed Abu Ubaida’s real identity was Hudhaifa Kahlout. The army also released a purported image of Abu Ubaida.Gianluca Pacchiani, “IDF claims to reveal identity of Hamas’s military spokesman Abu Ubeida,” Times of Israel, October 25, 2023, https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-claims-to-reveal-identity-of-hamass-military-spokesman-abu-ubeida/. However, a November 2023 profile in the Palestine Chronicle denied the IDF’s revelation, claiming that Israel had made numerous false claims about Abu Ubaida’s identity. The report dismissed previous Israeli media reports that identified Abu Ubaida’s place of residence, name, and educational history. The report accused Israel of attempting to reveal Abu Ubaida’s identity to “take away from the power of the brand.”“Who is Abu Obeida, Al-Qassam’s Famous Military Spokesman – PROFILE,” Palestine Chronicle, November 2, 2023, https://www.palestinechronicle.com/who-is-abu-obeida-al-qassam-famous-military-spokesman-profile/. According to the Palestine Chronicle, Abu Ubaida’s identity remained secret. The report further praised Abu Ubaida as “an iconic figure for Palestinians” and an “international phenomenon” who reliably tells the truth and is uninterested in fame or recognition.“Who is Abu Obeida, Al-Qassam’s Famous Military Spokesman – PROFILE,” Palestine Chronicle, November 2, 2023, https://www.palestinechronicle.com/who-is-abu-obeida-al-qassam-famous-military-spokesman-profile/.
On October 7, 2023, a day after the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War and as Israel was marking the Jewish holidays of Simchat Torah and Shabbat, Hamas launched a massive attack on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and wounding almost 4,000. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also took hostage 256 people, mostly civilians.Ammar Awad and Maayan Lubell, “Gunmen in homes, captives abducted leave Israelis in shock,” Reuters, October 7, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gunmen-homes-captives-abducted-gaza-leave-israelis-shock-2023-10-07/; Lauren Frayer, “Israel revises down its death toll from the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks to about 1,200,” NPR, November 11, 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/11/11/1212458974/israel-revises-death-toll-hamas-attacks-oct-7; “Swords of Iron: An Overview,” Institute for National Security Studies, last updated May 24, 2024, https://www.inss.org.il/publication/war-data/. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Abu Ubaida claimed that Hamas held dozens of Israeli soldiers captive in “safe places” and tunnels in the Gaza Strip.Associated Press, “Netanyahu declares war on Hamas after surprise attack kills hundreds of Israelis,” PBS, October 7, 2023, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/netanyahu-declares-war-on-hamas-after-deadly-surprise-attack-kills-dozens-of-israelis. On October 9, Abu Ubaida released an audio statement claiming that Hamas will kill one civilian hostage every time Israel targets a Gazan civilian.Chantal Da Silva and Lina Dandees, “Hamas threatens to kill a civilian hostage every time Israel hits Gaza civilians 'without warning,’” NBC News, October 9, 2023, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/hamas-threatens-israel-gaza-kill-civilians-hostages-siege-rcna119532. Abu Ubaida continued to amplify Hamas footage, praising the attack. On October 16, Hamas released footage of 21-year-old Mia Schem, who was captured during the Nova music festival in southern Israel during the attack. Abu Ubaida claimed that Hamas held 200 Israeli and foreign hostages in Gaza, while other Palestinian terror groups held about 50 others. He referred to foreign hostages as “our guests,” claiming that Hamas would protect them and release them when conditions allowed.Emanuel Fabian and Gianluca Pacchiani, “Hamas releases propaganda clip of hostage seized in Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel,” Times of Israel, October 16, 2023, https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-releases-first-clip-of-captive-seized-in-october-7-assault-on-southern-israel/.
On January 30, 2025, Abu Ubaida announced the death of Mohammed Deif in an Israeli strike.“Abu Ubeida announces martyrdom of Chief of Staff Mohammed Deif during Al-Aqsa Flood,” Yemen News, Agency, January 30, 2025, https://www.saba.ye/en/news3431383.htm. On August 30, 2025, Israel launched an airstrike in Gaza City, targeting a senior Hamas operative. The following day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the target had been Abu Ubaida. The IDF soon after confirmed that Abu Ubaida had been the target.Lazar Berman, “‘The face of Hamas’: Israel confirms terror group’s spokesman Abu Obeida killed,” Times of Israel, August 31, 2025, https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-face-of-hamas-israel-confirms-terror-groups-spokesman-abu-obeida-killed/.
Associated Groups
- Extremist entity
- Hamas
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Political, religious, social service provider, terrorist, violent
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Islamist, jihadist, Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated group, pan-Islamist, Qutbist, Sunni
- Position(s):
- Spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (deceased)
Hamas is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization which has killed hundreds of Israeli citizens, as well as Americans, in suicide bombings and other terrorist attacks. Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip since it violently expelled the Palestinian Authority in 2007.