Meet Abu Ubaida: Al-Qassam Spokesperson Hudhaifa Samir Abdullah al-Kahlout
Abu Ubaida, whose real name is reported to be Hudhaifa Samir Abdullah al-Kahlout (Abu Ibrahim), served for nearly two decades as the spokesperson of al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas
Abu Ubaida, whose real name is reported to be Hudhaifa Samir Abdullah al-Kahlout (Abu Ibrahim), served for nearly two decades as the spokesperson of al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. A figure of dignity and restraint, he remained a constant target of the Israeli occupying forces.
On numerous occasions, attempts were made to assassinate him, yet each effort ended in failure. On 31st August 2025, the Israeli military announced that Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson of al-Qassam Brigades, had been killed in an airstrike carried out on 30th August. Shortly after this announcement, Hamas released a statement urging the public not to pay heed to rumors.
Nevertheless, the familiar voice, long recognized as that of Abu Ubaida spokesperson of the Qassam Brigades, fell silent. Days passed, then weeks, yet the masked spokesperson, known for his distinctive appearance with a red keffiyeh covering his face, did not reappear. Public curiosity intensified and a question echoed everywhere: where is that fearless spokesperson now?
Name Endures, Face Changed
After a prolonged silence, on 29th December 2025, the newly appointed spokesperson of al-Qassam Brigades, also introduced as Abu Obaida, issued a detailed statement. While the statement announced the martyrdom of several senior Qassam leaders, it also formally confirmed the martyrdom of the former spokesperson known to the world as Abu Ubaida.
In reality, the man who had spoken for nearly two decades under the name “Abu Ubaida” was Hudhaifa Samir Abdullah al-Kahlout (Abu Ibrahim). He was killed in an Israeli strike on 30th August 2025.
The current spokesperson’s real identity is likewise different. However, in accordance with the organization’s strategic practice, he too has been introduced under the same name: Abu Ubaida. It was thus this new Abu Ubaida who publicly announced the martyrdom of his predecessor, Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout (Abu Ibrahim).
Announcement of Martyrdom and Its Background
Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout had long been a prime target of the Israeli occupying forces. Numerous attempts were made on his life, yet each time he survived and the attacker failed in its objective. Ultimately, on 30th August 2025, acting on what it described as actionable intelligence, Israeli forces carried out a devastating strike that not only destroyed the targeted building; but also resulted in the killing of the entire al-Kahlout family.
According to reports circulating on social media, a tip-off was provided the same day to Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet (Shabak), indicating that Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout was residing with his family in a specific building in Rimal. Following this information, an emergency meeting of the military leadership was convened. Despite knowing that Abu Ubaida was present in a particular apartment, the entire building was targeted. As a result, Abu Ubaida’s family and all members of the al-Kahlout household were killed in the strike.
Speaking for al-Qassam for Two Decades
Following the announcement of Abu Ubaida’s martyrdom, the public came to fully grasp that the figure who had represented al-Qassam Brigades for nearly two decades, with exceptional resolve, clarity of judgment and strategic composure, had now attained the status of martyrdom. Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout formally joined the Qassam Brigades in 2002.
In recognition of his written and oratory skills, his seriousness of purpose, and his sound judgment, he was appointed the organization’s spokesperson in 2004.
In June 2006, he issued his first official statement as spokesperson, announcing an operation carried out by Hamas east of the city of Rafah. The operation resulted in the killing of two Israeli soldiers and the capture of a third, Gilad Shalit.
Thereafter, whenever circumstances demanded, Abu Obaida emerged as the voice of the Qassam Brigades, delivering statements at critical moments.
Voice, Style and Impact
Allah the Almighty had endowed Abu Ubaida with a commanding, resonant and unmistakably authoritative voice. He spoke in eloquent, classical Arabic. His statements were often framed with verses from the Glorious Qur’an.
His voice carried, on the one hand, the weight of pain and loss, and on the other, the thunder of resolve and defiance. He frequently concluded his addresses with the sentence: “Innahu La-Jihad Nasrun Aw Istishhaad” (Indeed, it is a struggle whose outcome is either victory or martyrdom.).
Following the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, his prominence grew dramatically. Yet his speeches were marked neither by exaggeration nor by emotional bravado; instead, he articulated facts with clarity and restraint. The people awaited his statements with intense anticipation, listened attentively, and even children began imitating his distinctive style.
Whenever he appeared publicly, he wore the military uniform of the Qassam Brigades and covered his face with a red Arab keffiyeh, concealing his identity. Though by then, his voice alone had become his unmistakable signature. Because he used to cover his face with a keffiyeh, he was known by the epithet “Al-Mulaththam”, the masked one.
Identity Revealed After Martyrdom
Following the official announcement of the martyrdom of Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout (Abu Ibrahim), widely known as Abu Ubaida, his photographs were revealed and publicly his real name was disclosed for the first time.
Shortly thereafter, a statement by his brother also emerged, in which he shed light on various aspects of Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout’s personality, life and long journey of struggle.
Family’s Forced Displacement From Asqalan to Jabalia
Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout’s parents hailed from the historic city of Asqalan (Ashkelon), a place also associated with the eminent scholar of Hadith, Ibn Hajar Asqalani, the renowned commentator on Sahihul Bukhari.
Today, Ashkelon lies under Israeli control. Like countless other families from Asqalan, Hudhaifa Samir’s family was forcibly displaced in 1948 as a result of Israeli violence and repression. They were compelled to abandon their home, farmland, and ancestral city, eventually seeking refuge in the Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza.
Memorization of the Qur’an and Higher Education
Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout was born on 11th February 1984 and raised in the Jabalia refugee camp of the Northern Gaza, where he memorized the Glorious Qur’an at a remarkably young age. He completed his primary and secondary education in the schools run by the UNRWA in the Jabalia camp.
For higher education, he got admission at the Islamic University of Gaza in 2002. There, he earned a master’s degree in 2013. In pursuit of his master’s Degree, he authored a research thesis titled: “Al-Ardhu Al-Muqaddasah Bein Al-Yahudiyyah, Wa al-Nasranniyyah Wa al-Islam” (The Holy Land between Judaism, Christianity and Islam), completed under the supervision of Dr. Ahmad Jabir al-Asmi. Spanning 645 pages, the thesis stands as a testament to his scholarly depth and intellectual seriousness.
Family Life and Martyrdom
Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout lived a dignified family life and was the father of four children. At the time of the attack, his wife and three of their children were with him, and all of them were martyred in the same strike. His eldest son, Ibrahim, was not present at the location at the time. He, therefore, survived the attack. He remains safe today. May Allah make him a true successor of his father!
Voice More Dangerous to the Enemy Than Any Weapon
The life of Hudhaifa Samir Abdullah al-Kahlout was not merely the story of an individual, but the embodiment of an idea, a voice and an era. Rising from the narrow alleys of a refugee camp, he became a presence that resonated far beyond Gaza stirring the global conscience.
His words carried not only the pain of dispossession, but also a deep awareness of resistance, an unshakable faith in perseverance, and a clear vision of ultimate purpose.
His voice proved more dangerous to the enemy than any weapon. He appeared before cameras without revealing his face or his name, yet he demonstrated to the world what it truly means to live by principle and to die for justice. His martyrdom further underscored a fundamental truth: resistance does not end with the loss of individuals. Names, voices, and messages are inherited, carried forward by new generations.
Abu Ubaida is no longer merely a name attached to a person; it has become a symbol of resolve, dignity, truth and sacrifice. History will bear witness that when oppression descended in its most brutal form, there were still those who stood firm, armed with Qur’anic conviction, sustained by faith, and prepared for martyrdom. Abu Ubaida has been martyred, but his voice endures, and his message will continue to illuminate the path for generations to come.
May God accept the sacrifice of Hudhaifa Samir al-Kahlout and his family, grant them the highest rank in Paradise, and allow their sacrifice to remain a guiding light for the oppressed! Aameen!
[The writer, Khursheed Alam Dawood Qasmi, works for Moon Rays Trust School, Zambia, Africa.]
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