The Hamas most wanted cards are decks of playing cards featuring pictures of Hamas members wanted by the State of Israel. The decks were produced by independent volunteers and were handed out to Israel Defense Forces soldiers during the early stages of the Israel–Hamas war.[1][2][3]
Unofficial IDF deck
As part of the Israel–Hamas war, an unofficial[further explanation needed] card deck of 54 wanted individuals were distributed to Israeli soldiers. The idea for the deck was inspired by the most-wanted Iraqi playing cards created by the Defense Intelligence Agency for identifying the top wanted members of Saddam Hussein's government during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The history of making such cards dates back to the American Civil War.[1][4][5][3]
More than 10,000 decks of the cards were distributed to Israeli soldiers to help the soldiers identify top Hamas targets and to unsettle Hamas officials. The hierarchy of various Hamas officials have been mixed around in the deck in order to attempt to embarrass more higher-ranking officials.[5]
As of October 2024,[update] 31 individuals from the list had been killed.
List of cards
| Card | Person | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOKER | Mohammed Deif | Head of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades | Allegedly assassinated in July 2024.[6] |
| JOKER | Salah al-Arouri | Deputy head of Hamas | Assassinated in January 2024.[7] |
| A ♠ | Abu Obeida | Spokesperson of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades | |
| A ♣ | Marwan Issa | Deputy of Mohammed Deif | Killed in March 2024.[8] |
| A ♦ | Ismail Haniyeh | Head of Hamas Political Bureau | Assassinated in July 2024.[9] |
| A ♥ | Khaled Mashal | Former head of Hamas Political Bureau | |
| K ♠ | Issam al-Da'alis | Head of Hamas government in Gaza | |
| K ♣ | Rawhi Mushtaha | Chairman of the economic committee | Killed in July 2024.[10] |
| K ♦ | Khalil al-Hayya | Deputy head of Hamas's political bureau | |
| K ♥ | Asem Abu Rakaba | Head of the air wing | Killed in October 2023.[11] |
| Q ♠ | Samah al-Sarraj | Member of Hamas's political bureau | Killed in July 2024.[12] |
| Q ♣ | Az al-Din Haddad | Commander of Gaza City Division (al-Qassam Brigades) | |
| Q ♦ | Ayman Siam | Head of the rockets array | Killed in November 2023.[13] |
| Q ♥ | Yahya Sinwar | Leader of Hamas in Gaza | Killed in October 2024.[14] |
| J ♠ | Mohammed Sinwar | Commander of the Southern Gaza Strip Division (al-Qassam Brigades) | |
| J ♣ | Ayman Nofal | Commander of the Central Gaza Strip | Killed in October 2023.[15] |
| J ♦ | Rafa Salama | Commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade (al-Qassam Brigades) | Assassinated in July 2024.[16] |
| J ♥ | Ahmad Ghandour | Commander of the northern Gaza Strip | Killed in November 2023.[17] |
| 10 ♠ | Youssef Abu al-Rish | Deputy Health Minister | |
| 10 ♣ | Fa'ez Baroud | Commander in al-Qassam Brigades | |
| 10 ♦ | Osama Hamdan | Foreign relations officer | |
| 10 ♥ | Mohammed Ouda | Head of Hamas intelligence | |
| 9 ♠ | Ali al-Amoudi | Activist in Hamas propaganda department | |
| 9 ♣ | Muhammad Atzar | Head of the anti-tank forces in Gaza | Killed in November 2023.[18] |
| 9 ♦ | Zakaria Abu Maamar | Senior member of Hamas's political bureau | Killed in October 2023.[19] |
| 9 ♥ | Mahmoud al-Zahar | Member of Hamas Political Bureau | |
| 8 ♠ | Ahmed Shamali | Deputy commander of Gaza City Brigade | |
| 8 ♣ | Shadi Baroud | Deputy head of intelligence | Killed in October 2023.[20] |
| 8 ♦ | Mousa Abu Marzook | Head of international relations office | |
| 8 ♥ | Razi Abu Tama'ah | Head of the combat support array | Killed in March 2024.[21] |
| 7 ♠ | Imad Akel | Head of rear headquarters | |
| 7 ♣ | Zahar Jabarin | Deputy head of the West Bank region (successor of al-Arouri) | |
| 7 ♦ | Abd al-Hadi Siam | Commander in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades | Killed in August 2024.[22] |
| 7 ♥ | Haitham Khuwajari | Commander of Shati Brigade (al-Qassam Brigades) | Killed in December 2023.[23] |
| 6 ♠ | Ibrahim Biari | Commander of Jabalia center brigade | Killed in October 2023.[24] |
| 6 ♣ | Wissam Farhat | Commander of Shuja'iyya brigade | Killed in December 2023.[25] |
| 6 ♦ | Wael Rajab | Deputy commander of the northern Gaza Strip | Killed in November 2023.[26] |
| 6 ♥ | Mohammed Shebana | Commander of the Rafah brigade | |
| 5 ♠ | Nasim Abu Ajina | Commander of Beit Lahiya brigade | Killed in October 2023.[27] |
| 5 ♣ | Ibrahim al-Sahar | Commander of the explosive devices in the northern Strip | Killed in October 2023.[28] |
| 5 ♦ | Jaber Aziz | Commander of the Al-Furqan Battalion | Killed in August 2024.[29] |
| 5 ♥ | Hassam Badran | Member of the executive committee | |
| 4 ♠ | Taysir Mabasher | Commander of the northern Khan Yunis brigade | Killed in October 2023.[30] |
| 4 ♣ | Mustafa Dalul | Commander of Zabara brigade | Killed in November 2023.[31] |
| 4 ♦ | Fathi Hamad | Head of office in the executive committee | |
| 4 ♥ | Ra'ad Sa'ad | Commander in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades | |
| 3 ♠ | Yakub A'ashur | Commander of the anti-tank system in Khan Yunis | Killed in November 2023.[32] |
| 3 ♣ | Ghazi Hamad | Member of Hamas's political bureau | |
| 3 ♦ | Ismail Siraj | Commander of Nuseirat brigade | Killed in January 2024.[33] |
| 3 ♥ | Ra'ad Thabat | Member of Hamas's political bureau | Killed in March 2024.[34] |
| 2 ♠ | Madhat Mabasher | Commander of the West Khan Yunis brigade | Killed in October 2023.[35] |
| 2 ♣ | Mahdi Khuwara | Commander of Lahiya Brigade | |
| 2 ♦ | Mohammed Alwadia | Commander of the anti-tank system of the Gaza City Brigade (al-Qassam Brigades) | Killed in October 2023.[36] |
| 2 ♥ | Nizar Awadallah | Senior member of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades |
Christian cowboy deck
A group of Christian Zionist "cowboys" who had come to volunteer on farms in Israel,[37] and settler farms in the occupied West Bank,[38] after the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, designed and printed another unofficial deck of playing cards with photos of the most wanted Hamas personalities and distributed the cards to Israeli soldiers in southern Israel and Gaza. The cards were designed and printed at Be'eri Printers at Kibbutz Be'eri, one of the hardest hit kibbutzim during the October 7 attack.[37]
The deck was printed in Hebrew, English, and Arabic, and included two joker cards and 12 Hamas personalities, including Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, Abu Obaida, Mohammed Deif, Issa, al-Arouri, Mashal, Hamad,[who?] Sa'ad, Muhammad Sinwar. The depictions in these cards, from the drawings of the subjects to how their names were written in Arabic, are intended to mock the Hamas leaders. For example, Yahya Sinwar is written as "Sinfar", a play on the Arabic word for mouse, الْفَأْر al-faʔr, and his picture depicts him as a mouse.[37] But most of the cowboys in the group the men seem to be a part of are English-speaking white men from the United States, not Arab Christians.[38]
The "cowboys" came to Israel and Palestine with an Evangelical organization organization called HaYovel Volunteering.[37][39] The organization is based in Patterson, Missouri, and particularly focused on recruiting volunteers to do farm work in Israeli settlements in the West Bank region of Palestine, while the usual farmers are fighting for the IDF in Gaza.[38] The volunteers and the Hoyovel organisation refer to the West Bank region of Palestine as "Judea and Samaria" (the same name the Israeli settlers use) or as "the biblical heartland".[38]
They HoYovel organization had previously been involved in a West Bank "land grab" in 2022.[40]
References
- ^ a b אייכנר, איתמר (2 December 2023). סינוואר - מלכה לב אדום: חפיסת הקלפים שנועדה "להוציא את בכירי חמאס מאיזון". Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ קזינו סינוואר: קלפים עם תמונות בכירי חמאס והכתובת "מבוקש" באנגלית הופצו בקרב חיילי צה"ל. ישראל היום. 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ a b "From Iraq to Gaza! Israel puts photos of Hamas leaders on playing cards". Al Bawaba. 3 December 2023. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ תמונות של בכירי חמאס חולקו לחיילים בעזה. בחדרי חרדים (in Hebrew). 20 July 2016. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ a b Merrill, Monique (2 January 2024). "Israel Has Playing Cards for Each of Its 52 Most-Wanted Hamas Terrorists". The Messenger. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Israel Says It Killed Hamas Military Chief in July Airstrike". Wall Street Journal. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "Israeli drone attacks Hamas office in Beirut, killing four – Lebanese news agency". Reuters. 2 January 2024. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ^ Magid, Jacob (18 March 2024). "US confirms Israel killed Hamas no 3 Marwan Issa". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ Fassihi, Farnaz; Bergman, Ronen (31 July 2024). "Iran Says Haniyeh, a Top Hamas Leader, Was Killed". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
- ^ "Israel assassinated 5 Hamas leaders in a tunnel under Gaza City — Arab media report". The Times of Israel. 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "IDF fighter jets eliminate Hamas' air chief Abu Rakaba in Gaza, confirms Israel". WION News. 28 October 2023. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "IDF says it killed Hamas de facto PM – Sinwar's right-hand man – in strike 3 months ago". Times of Israel. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
- ^ Halabi, Einav (26 November 2023). "Hamas confirms five of its senior commanders killed". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "Hamas leader and Oct. 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar killed by IDF troops in Gaza". Times of Israel. 17 October 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ "Israeli air strike kills senior Hamas armed commander Ayman Nofal in Gaza". Reuters. 17 October 2023. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (14 July 2024). "Israel says Khan Younis Brigade chief killed in Gaza strike; Deif's fate unconfirmed". Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
- ^ Gavin, Christopher (14 November 2023). "Top Hamas Commander Who Survived Two Assassination Attempts Killed in Israeli Airstrike". The Messenger. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ^ "IDF, Shin Bet kill Hamas's head of anti-tank forces in Gaza". The Jerusalem Post. 1 November 2023. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Two members from Hamas political office killed in air strike, official says". Reuters. 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ Zitun, Yoav (26 October 2023). "IDF says took down Hamas' intelligence deputy commander". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "Israel confirms killing of Hamas' deputy military commander". Xinhua. 27 March 2024. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "Israel Hamas War Live Updates: Killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh not helpful for ceasefire; 'I'm very concerned', says Biden". The Times of India. 2 August 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ Halpern, Sam (4 December 2023). "IDF eliminates Hamas commander of Shati Battalion, Haitham Khuwajari". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ Zitun, Yoav (31 October 2023). "Battles in Jabaliya: This is the senior Hamas commander killed by the IDF". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (2 December 2023). "Israel kills Hamas commander behind deadly attacks; rocket barrage targets Tel Aviv". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 8 February 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (26 November 2023). "Hamas confirms senior commanders killed in earlier Gaza fighting". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "IDF eliminates senior Hamas commander". The Jerusalem Post. 31 October 2023. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "Israel unrest: Top Hamas commander Ibrahim Al-Saher eliminated by IDF". The Economic Times. 24 October 2023. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "IDF kills Hamas battalion commander, Jaber Aziz, while hiding in Gaza school". The Jerusalem Post. 5 August 2024. Archived from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (25 October 2023). "IDF says it killed a top Hamas commander in airstrike". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "Hamas commander killed in IDF airstrikes on Gaza". The Jerusalem Post. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (13 November 2023). "IDF says it has killed Hamas brigade's anti-tank commander, other senior terrorists". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ Bihler, Dennis (6 January 2024). "IDF eliminates Hamas battalion commander and deputy in charge of Kibbutz Be'eri attack". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ Zitun, Yoav (28 March 2024). "Senior Hamas official eliminated at Al Shifa Hospital". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (27 October 2023). "IDF says Hamas commander killed in overnight hit". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "Israel kills top Hamas commander, continues bombing campaign in Gaza". All Israel News. 18 October 2023. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d Jaffe-Hoffman, Maayan (30 November 2023). "Christian cowboys give most wanted Hamas terrorists playing cards to IDF". Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 14 January 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d "American Evangelical Cowboys Volunteering for Israel's War Effort Headed for West Bank Settlements". 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ Kirk, Mimi. "Christian Zionist cowboys: American and Israeli affinities laid bare". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "'Biblical Mandate': The U.S. Evangelicals Behind the Latest West Bank Land Grab". 22 August 2022. Archived from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2024.