Hamas has belatedly confirmed for the first time that its senior military commander, Mohammed Deif, was killed in an Israeli airstrike last year in Gaza's Khan Younis area, along with his deputy Marwan Issa.

The announcement on January 30 verifies Israel's earlier claims from August about the death of the elusive one-eyed leader following a brutal year for the group, which saw the entire top leadership wiped out inside the Gaza Strip and abroad by Israel.

"The Al-Qassam Brigades announce to our great people the martyrdom of a group of distinguished fighters and heroic commanders... commander Mohammed Deif, chief of staff of the Al-Qassam Brigades (and) commander Marwan Issa, deputy chief of staff," Hamas said in a statement.

Deif, who was widely considered the second-ranking Hamas commander in Gaza after Yahya Sinwar, was believed to have been killed in a July 13 airstrike that also claimed more than 90 civilian lives.

The residence where he was thought to be hiding was struck with a 900kg bomb, creating a massive crater.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called Deif's death "a significant milestone" in the war aims.

Deif had survived at least eight previous assassination attempts by Israel - in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2021 - which left him severely injured, losing both legs and an arm. His wife and two children were also killed in these attempts.

As head of Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Deif remained a mysterious figure who never appeared in public.

A former accountant and bombmaker who studied sciences at Gaza's Islamic University, he was arrested by Israel in 1989 before rising through militant ranks.

Under his command, the group carried out numerous attacks against Israeli civilians.

The confirmation came as Hamas released three Israeli hostages, including - 80-year-old Gadi Moses and 29-year-old Arbel Yehud - along with five Thai captives through the Red Cross in Khan Younis amid tense scenes that prompted criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The Government of Israel embraces IDF soldier Agam Berger,” the Prime Minister's Office stated. “Her family has been updated by the responsible authorities that she is with our forces. The Government, together with all of the security officials, will accompany her and her family.”

“The Government of Israel is committed to returning all of the hostages and the missing,” the announcement concluded.