Ever since unknown gunmen assassinated Hamas military leader Mazen Faqha on March 24, the movement has been threatening to retaliate against Israel, which it accused of being behind the assassination. Threats came from inside and outside of the Palestinian territories, from both political and military leaderships. The Palestinians have been expecting revenge actions, but this has yet to happen.

On April 10, sources from the special committee investigating Faqha’s assassination told Palestine Now that it had concluded its work and it would hand over its final report to Hamas' leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. The special committee has arrested Faqha’s killer and is in the process of conducting an investigation with him in preparation for trial, according to the sources.

On March 27, Khaled Meshaal, the head of Hamas’ political bureau, said Israel was challenging Hamas by assassinating Faqha, and the movement’s political and military leaderships have accepted this challenge.

Meanwhile, on March 25, Hamas’ military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, said they will make Israel pay for Faqha’s assassination.