Hamas weighs options in wake of commander's assassination
A senior Hamas military operative, Mazen Faqha, was shot near his home in western Gaza, with Israel being the main suspect behind the assassination, raising concerns about a fourth war in the Gaza Strip.
In March, security tensions in the Gaza Strip reached their highest since the end of the 2014 war, amid an exchange of rocket fire, Israeli maneuvers along the borders, and Israeli warnings that the cautious calm could end.
The situation escalated on March 24 when unknown gunmen assassinated Mazen Faqha, a former prisoner and commander in Hamas’ military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood west of Gaza City. Four shots were fired into his head and chest from a silencer-fitted gun, killing him instantly.
