Abu Ubayda, whose real name is Huzayfa Abdullah al-Kahlut, is a Palestinian figure who served for many years as the military spokesperson for Hamas’s armed wing, the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades. He is known for his public statements made while concealing his face, his regular updates on battlefield developments during periods of conflict, and his role in conveying the official narrative of the Qassam Brigades.

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Abu Ubayda was born in 1984 in the Jabaliya Refugee Camp in northern Gaza Strip. He completed his primary and secondary education at schools operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). He pursued higher education at Gaza Islamic University, where he earned a master’s degree in the interpretation of the Qur’an.

In 2000, following the outbreak of the Second Intifada, he joined Hamas and the Qassam ranks. From that period onward, he assumed various roles within Hamas’s military wing, particularly distinguishing himself in media, public communication, and military liaison functions.

Abu Ubayda first appeared before cameras in October 2004 during the “Days of Rage” operation, a 17-day ground offensive launched by the Israeli military against northern Gaza Strip. In a press conference he held, he provided information on military developments on the ground. From that date onward, he became the public face of the Qassam Brigades.

After Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, he assumed the role of official military spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades. Due to security concerns, he rarely participated in live broadcasts; instead, he delivered most of his statements through pre-recorded video footage with his face concealed.

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Among Abu Ubayda’s statements that generated widespread public attention during his tenure as spokesperson are:

• The announcement in 2006 of the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit,
• The confirmation in 2014 of the capture of Israeli soldier Shaul Aron.

These announcements led to extensive international media coverage of the Qassam Brigades’ military activities.

During the Israeli offensive launched in October 2023, which caused widespread destruction across Gaza, Abu Ubayda continued to oversee the media operations of the Qassam Brigades. Throughout this period, developments on the ground were communicated to the global public through statements and footage released by Qassam sources, with particular emphasis on military and political events during the operation named “Al-Aqsa Flood.”

In an official statement issued by Hamas’s armed wing, the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, it was announced that Abu Ubayda was killed on 29 December 2025 during Israeli attacks in Gaza. The announcement was conveyed to the public via a video message from the Qassam Brigades’ new military spokesperson. The statement emphasized that Abu Ubayda had long managed the media apparatus of the Qassam Brigades and was one of the primary figures responsible for communicating developments during the Al-Aqsa Flood operation to the global public.