Gaza is being inundated by a flood of demands for a violent response to the assassination of senior Hamas military leader Mazen Faqha. At the same time, a bitter argument is underway between the militant and pragmatic branches of Hamas over the implications of a retaliatory operation against Israel.

Faqha, who was released from an Israeli prison as part of the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner-exchange deal, was responsible for setting up an operational infrastructure for Hamas in the West Bank. He was killed under mysterious circumstances March 23 near his home in Tel al-Hawa in northern Gaza. Hamas claims that a special Israeli unit infiltrated the Gaza Strip to assassinate Faqha. Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman addressed these accusations for the first time April 2, saying, “Hamas is known for its internal assassinations.” He then went on to recommend that Hamas conduct an internal investigation.

Hamas is indeed investigating. Ever since the assassination, it has conducted a far-reaching manhunt in Gaza to search for suspects. The local Interior Ministry announced that Hamas security forces had taken into custody several people suspected of collaboration with Israel, and that they will soon be brought to trial for treason and assisting the enemy in wartime.

Motivation among Hamas activists to respond to Faqha's assassination intensified after a March 27 video speech that Khaled Meshaal, the outgoing head of Hamas’ political bureau, delivered to a demonstration in Gaza's al-Katiba Square, in the presence of all of Hamas' political leadership. "The conflict with the occupier [Israel] remains open. The military and political leadership of Hamas is ready to meet the occupier's challenge," Meshaal said.