1. Summary: JaFaJ has confirmed that Israel will target Hamas leaders outside of the usual boundaries. Previously, Israel has targeted Hamas leaders in territories deemed hostile to the United States (US), such as Gaza, West Bank, and Lebanon while Hamas leaders in Qatar and Jordan have thrived under the protection of two supposed US allies. If Israel follows through with its new policy, it will be a game changer for Hamas leaders because they will lose two preciously protected sanctuaries, sanctuaries that they have enjoyed for over two decades.
2. JaFaJ has learned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized the Israeli intelligence agency [the Mossad], to carry out the assassinations of Hamas political and military leaders “outside of the usual borders.” An Israeli government source confirmed to JaFaJ that “Hamas leaders will pay the price for the atrocities committed on 7 October, no matter where they live.”
3. An American intelligence source has confirmed with JaFaJ that, “the Israelis have already notified their allies in the US that they were going to carry out targeted killings outside of the usual realm.” The source explained “Israel has been targeting Hamas leaders in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and occasionally at other places.” The source continued by saying that, “The Israelis have refrained from killing Hamas leaders and operatives residing in countries deemed friendly to the United States,” but that this has changed.” The source continued that “The Israelis have already informed us that Arab countries hosting Hamas leaders are no longer out of the Mossad’s reach”.
4. Comment: Most of Hamas’ political leaders reside outside of Gaza, and consider Qatar and Jordan as their safest havens. Both countries are considered staunch allies of the United States. It is believed that in January 2010, Israeli agents took out Hamas leader and weapons provider, Al-Mabhough in Dubai. Al Mabhough was the Chief of Logistics and Weapons Procurement for Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. The authorities of the United Arab Emirates accused Mossad agents of being the assassins carrying fake or fraudulently obtained Western passports. World media picked up this claim. As a result of this experience, Israel has refrained from targeting Hamas leaders in those two countries in an effort to avoid causing embarrassment to the USG.
5. Several Hamas leaders and affiliates reside in a variety of countries, including Algeria and several European nations. Nonetheless, Israel’s targeting of Hamas leaders has been limited to other countries, including Lebanon and Syria. Recently, speculation has it that Israel “took out” the West Bank’s Hamas leader, Saleh Al-Arouri in Lebanon. This shift in policy will destabilize Hamas leaders as they have enjoyed more than two decades of immunity and protection in Qatar and Jordan.