VITAL STATISTICS
Ahmed Said Khalil al-Jabari
Age: 46
Born: Shujaiya, Gaza City
Education: History at Gaza's Islamic University
Hamas describes Jabari as a 'symbol of the resistance'. Israeli authorities say he is responsible for terrorist activities against Israel.
Arrested by Israeli security forces in 1982 after a series of deadly attacks, Jabari spend 13 years in prison where he met some of Hamas's co-founders.
The Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades was set up after their release to achieve the organisation's political goals through military means.
Arrested again in 1998, in 2002 the then-commander of the Qassam Brigades was killed in the second Palestinian intifada. Jabari then became the operational head.
"I am a fighter for God. You will find me anywhere, anyplace, fighting the enemies of Islam. I will be honoured to represent Mohammed Deif on the battlefield," he stated in a television interview.
Under his watchful eye, the Qassam Brigades launched rocket attacks into Israel and Jabari took control of the abducted Israeli solder Gilad Shalat.
In 2006 Hamas won a majority in parliamentary elections in the Gaza Strip, and formed a unity government in 2007.
Jabari's profile was raised too, and there were several attmepts to assasinate him, although he was notoriously secretive and never carried a mobile phone.
HOW WAS HE KILLED?
The Israel Defence Force YouTube channel posted a video that claims to show his death by airstrike.
“On Nov. 14, 2012, the IDF targeted Ahmed Jabri, the head of Hamas' military wing, in the Gaza Strip. Jabari was a senior Hamas operative who served in the upper echelon of the Hamas command and was directly responsible for executing terror attacks against Israel in the past.”
