An Iranian lawmaker has raised the close ties between Mohammed Deif, Hamas' military chief, and former IRGC-Quds force commander Qassem Soleimani.

Esmail Kowsari, an ultraconservative and former IRGC general said that Deif, the chief of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, and Soleimani "collaborated on the planning of numerous operations over the years”.

The Hamas assault on October 7 saw the Iran-backed proxy launch over 3,000 rockets at Israel before invading by land, air and sea in the deadliest single day for Jews since the Holocaust.

At least 1,400 mostly civilians were killed and at least 241 hostages taken to Gaza, including children and the elderly. In retaliation, Israel has since launched its most comprehensive invasion of Gaza in decades, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians as the Jewish state vows to rid the strip of Hamas.

Before his assassination by the US in 2020, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps commander Qassem Soleimani allegedly wrote to Deif that Tehran would continue supporting Palestine "despite all pressures and sanctions.” According to Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen news channel at the time, Soleimani said "the Islamic Republic of Iran will not abandon Palestine and the Palestinian people".

Deif, one of the architects of the horrific attacks, along with Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' ruler in the Gaza Strip, was added to the American list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists in 2015.

Iran has expressed its unwavering support for Hamas and condemned the US support of Israel. Iranian backed proxies have since launched dozens of attacks on US facilities in the Middle East, while simultaneously attacking Israel from its borders and beyond.