Foreign
ISREAL’s military plans to eliminate the entire leadership of Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the mass killing of Israeli civilians on the weekend, according to a spokesman.
This included not only military chiefs, but also the political leadership of the Islamist group, military spokesman Richard Hecht said on Thursday.
“We are focused on taking out the senior leadership, not only military, all the way up to (Hamas chief Yehya al-Sinwar,’’ Hecht said.
Israeli intelligence believes the political leadership, including al-Sinwar, had known about the attack plans.
Hecht also said that efforts were also being made to identify everyone involved in the killings and kidnappings in Israel.
He cited the example of 22-year-old German citizen Shani Louk, who it’s believed is being held hostage in the Gaza Strip.
One of the kidnappers can be seen in video footage of a pick-up truck used to transport Louk, Hecht said, adding “we will get every single one of them.’’
It’s thought several senior Hamas members have already been killed in Israeli air attacks, he said.
Hamas insurgents carried out the massacres last Saturday, killing more than 1,200 people in Israeli border towns and at a music festival.
Israel responded to the massacres with heavy air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
The territory’s Health Ministry says that more than 1,200 people have been killed. (dpa/NAN)
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Tags: Richard Hecht Shani Louk Yehya al-Sinwar
