Hamas has confirmed that Mohammed Deif, the commander of its armed wing, was killed in an airstrike last year. Deif was believed to be responsible for planning and executing a deadly attack in October that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people. He was widely seen as the second-ranking Hamas commander in Gaza. Deif had been a target of Israeli assassination attempts for years and had survived multiple attacks, losing limbs and family members in the process. The announcement of Deif's death comes as Hamas released several hostages, including an 80-year-old man, after more than a year in captivity.