Hamas reveals new military spokesman Abu Obeida after predecessor's death Hamas's military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, introduced a new spokesman on Monday and confirmed the death of his predecessor in an Israeli strike on Gaza City in August. In a prerecorded speech aired on Arab media, the new spokesman revealed that his predecessor, known by the nom de guerre Abu Obeida, was actually Huthaifa Samir al-Kahlout. The new spokesperson, whose identity is unknown, is also taking on the same nom de guerre. This marked the first time Hamas officially confirmed Kahlout's identity, after he had served as the al-Qassam Brigades spokesman and head of its military unit for two decades without ever revealing his true face. “We mourn the great leader Huthaifa Samir al-Kahlout, Abu Ibrahim, the head of al-Qassam’s media apparatus, who passed away after two decades of frustrating the enemies and uplifting the hearts of the believers,” said the new Abu Obeida.