How will Hamas react if Israel assassinates its leaders?
Palestinian analysts believe that Hamas will retaliate with a full military escalation if Israel assassinates any of its leaders.
On Aug. 12, Haaretz reported that Israel had planned in recent months to kill senior Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip in response to the Great March of Return protests at the border fence that started on March 30.
According to the report, the Israeli army and the Shin Bet security service believe that assassinating Hamas leaders is a better option than a wide-scale attack on Gaza, which would most likely entail ground troops.
The reports and threats sparked an online response by Hussam Badran, a senior Hamas official and spokesman. Badran posted on Facebook, “Israel’s rhetoric and threats to return to the policy of assassinating Hamas leaders is ludicrous and points to their dilemma and confusion.”
“Those threats don’t scare a Palestinian child, let alone the leaders of the resistance. All of the Palestinian people’s blood is precious, and the days where Israel spills the Palestinians’ blood without receiving response to its crimes are long gone,” Badran added.
