Abu Obaida (Hamas)

Hudayfa Samir Abdallah al-Kahlout (حذيفة سمير عبدالله الكحلوت; born February 11, 1985), known by the nom de guerre Abu Obaida (أبو عبيدة, romanized: Abū ʿUbayda), also spelled Abu Obayda, Abu Ubayda and Abu Ubaydah, is a Palestinian militant who has been the spokeperson for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, since at least 2007.

Biography
According to Israeli media and the U.S. government, Abo Obaida is Hudayfa Samir Abdallah al-Kahlout, born February 11, 1985, in Gaza. Abu Obaida first emerged in 2002, representing Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades to the media and at press conferences. After the Israeli disengagement from Gaza in 2005, he was officially appointed the spokesman for Al-Qassam.

According to the United States, Abu Obaida has been the spokesman of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades since at least 2007.

Abu Obaida's first appearance was in 2006, when he announced the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Abu Obaida's actual name is not known, and neither are most of his personal details. He only appears wearing a keffiyeh covering his face.

In 2014, Israeli media outlets released a photo, allegedly of Abu Obaida. However, the validity of the photo and name were denied by the al-Qassam Brigades.

In April 2024, United States Department of Treasury issued sanctions against Abu Obaida and confirmed his identity as al-Kahlout in April 2024.

Statements
In June 2020, in response to plans by Israeli leaders to officially annex parts of the West Bank, Abu Obaida said that "the forces of the resistance will faithfully protect the Palestinian people," and vowed to "make the enemy bite its fingers in regret for such a sinful decision." He described the Israeli plans as a "declaration of war."

During the 2021 escalation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Abu Obaida said that striking Tel Aviv, Dimona, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Beersheba were "easier for us than drinking water," proclaiming that "there are no red lines when responding to the aggression." After a ceasefire agreement was reached, he said, "With the help of God, we were able to humiliate the enemy, its fragile entity and its savage army."

In September 2021, after four out of the six Gilboa prison escapees were rearrested by Israeli forces, Abu Obaida announced that no future prisoner exchange with Israel would take place without freeing the escapees, saying that “if the heroes of the Freedom Tunnel have liberated themselves this time from underground, we promise them and our free prisoners that they will be liberated soon, God willing, from above ground.”

In May 2022, in response to Israeli calls to assassinate Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar following several Palestinian attacks on Israelis, Abu Obaida said that if "the enemy and its failing leadership" hurt Sinwar, it would unleash a "regional earthquake and an unprecedented response."

In June 2022, Abu Obaida announced that the medical condition of one of the Israeli captives in Gaza has deteriorated. The al-Qassam Brigades later released a video showing that the captive in question was Hisham al-Sayed.

In October 2023, during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Abu Obaida said that Hamas will kill one civilian hostage every time Israel targets Gaza "without warning". “We announce that every targeting of our people who are safe in their homes without warning, we will meet with the execution of our enemy’s civilian hostages,” Obeida said in his statement. He also said that the executions would be broadcast “in audio and video.”

During the 2023 Gaza–Israel war, Abu Obaida stated in a public speech that 85% of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades' recruits are orphans desiring revenge whose parents were killed by the Israeli Defense Forces. The United States announced sanctions on Abu Obaida in April 2024.