New Delhi, Aug. 31 -- Israel announced over the weekend that Abu Obeida, the longtime spokesperson for Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades, was killed during an offensive in Gaza City. His death, if confirmed, marks the loss of one of Hamas's most visible and symbolic figures.

Abu Obeida, widely believed by Israeli and US authorities to be Hudayfa Samir Abdallah al-Kahlout, was born in Gaza in 1985. He first emerged in 2002, appearing in media briefings and press conferences on behalf of the Qassam Brigades. After Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, he was officially appointed the group's spokesperson. Since at least 2007, he served as the masked voice of Hamas, always appearing in military fatigues and a red keffiyeh c...